With or without new federal funding, there are big changes in tracking the virus. As states close free testing sites, and people use more at-home rapid tests, there are fewer PCR results. This means less reliable data for tracking the virus.
Here is a look at some of the changes underway in Massachusetts — and what another injection of cash could mean for the pandemic response.In the past, the federal government has made sure that those without insurance can access free testing, treatment and vaccination for COVID-19. But last week it stopped footing the bill for testing. And this week, it did the same for vaccines.
This works for some medications, such as the oral antiviral paxlovid. But other COVID therapeutics, such as monoclonal antibodies, require an infusion. The federal government is no longer paying for the cost associated with administering the infusion. This could change if Congress approves the additional $10 billion in funding for COVID programs, and if federal officials at the department of Health and Human Services decide to reinstitute the programs that provide free testing, treatment and vaccination.
“Staying open will mean more people get COVID, and we need to be able to respond to take care of those who are vulnerable from getting severely ill,” he said. “The lack of support to be able to provide care for them is a major challenge of that strategy.”With or without new federal funding, there are big changes in tracking the virus.
The Broad Institute — which does the bulk of the sequencing in Massachusetts –– is now paying for additional sequencing, MacInnis said, and there are active discussions with state officials to figure out what comes next for Massachusetts and how much surveillance to do.Her bigger concern, she said, is whether other places in the US and the world will do enough surveillance to identify new variants early enough to avoid being caught unprepared.