WASHINGTON, D.C. (LifeSiteNews) — The federal government under U.S. President Joe Biden has once again drawn out the COVID-19 state of emergency for another three months.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra made the declaration in a Wednesday statement, arguing that “a public health emergency exists and has existed since January 27, 2020, nationwide.” The state of emergency gives the federal government broad powers to address the alleged crisis, including allocating funds toward COVID-related initiatives and hiring additional personnel.
The Department of Health and Human Services has extended the COVID-19 state of emergency that was instituted in January 2020, Secretary Xavier Becerra announced on Wednesday. https://t.co/GVh56Z6xT2 pic.twitter.com/RgqJGciZeW
— WebMD (@WebMD) January 12, 2023
WebMD pointed out that the extension of the public health emergency is the 12th such extension since the original declaration in 2020. The state of emergency will last for 90 days or until renewed again.
The move to extend the ongoing state of emergency defies a December plea by half of all state governors urging the Biden administration to put an end to the federal declaration.
In a December 19 letter, the governors of half of all U.S. states called on the Biden administration to finally revoke the state of emergency, pointing out that “the emergency phase of the pandemic is behind us,” and that “nearly three years” have passed since the federal government declared the public health emergency.
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The governors also observed that Biden himself had remarked months earlier that the pandemic phase of COVID-19 had ended.
“The pandemic is over,” Biden told a reporter during 60 Minutes interview in September 2022, going on to add that “we still have a problem with COVID” and “we’re still doing a lot of work on it.”
The White House later walked back the president’s comments and said it wouldn’t change its COVID policy.