Due to a convergence of factors, including the highly contagious Delta variant, coronavirus cases are on the rise in the U.S. — a cold splash of reality in the midst of our long-awaited Hot Vax Summer bliss. Further reminding us that the pandemic isn’t over yet, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra signed a renewal of the nation's COVID-19 public health emergency declaration on Monday, effective today, CNN reported. What does it mean that the country is still in a public health emergency?
As ominous as a public health emergency declaration might sound, the fact that the U.S. is renewing it is actually reassuring. According to CNN, it’ll allow for the access of emergency funds, the emergency use authorization of vaccines, the deployment of military trauma care, and more — basically, it’ll ensure that we have the resources we need, ready to go, in the event that the pandemic takes a scary turn.
