UNITED STATES NEWS

President Joe Biden says he will request more funding for a new coronavirus vaccine

Aug 25, 2023, 2:37 PM

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, California (AP) — President Joe Biden said Friday that he is planning to request more money from Congress to develop another new coronavirus vaccine, as scientists track new waves and hospitalizations rise, though not like before.

Officials are already expecting updated COVID-19 vaccines that contain one version of the omicron strain, called XBB.1.5. It’s an important change from today’s combination shots, which mix the original coronavirus strain with last year’s most common omicron variants. But there will always be a need for updated vaccines as the virus continues to mutate.

It’s not clear exactly when people can start rolling up their sleeves for what officials hope is an annual fall COVID-19 shot. Pfizer, Moderna and smaller manufacturer Novavax all are brewing doses of the XBB update but the Food and Drug Administration will have to sign off on each, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must then issue recommendations for their use.

“I signed off this morning on a proposal we have to present to the Congress a request for additional funding for a new vaccine that is necessary, that works,” Biden, who is vacationing in the Lake Tahoe area, told reporters on Friday.

He added that it’s “tentatively” recommended “that everybody get it,” once the shots are ready.

The White House’s $40 billion funding request to Congress on Aug. 11 did not mention COVID-19. It included funding requests for Ukraine, to replenish U.S. federal disaster funds at home after a deadly climate season of heat and storms, and funds to bolster the enforcement at the Southern border with Mexico, including money to curb the flow of deadly fentanyl. Last fall, the administration asked for $9.25 billion in funding to combat the virus, but Congress refused the request.

For the week ending July 29, COVID-19 hospital admissions were at 9,056. That’s an increase of about 12% from the previous week. But it’s a far cry from past peaks, like the 44,000 weekly hospital admissions in early January, the nearly 45,000 in late July 2022, or the 150,000 admissions during the omicron surge of January 2022.

United States News

FILE - President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, leaves after a court appearance, July 26, 2023, in ...

Associated Press

Prosecutors push back against Hunter Biden’s move to subpoena Trump documents in gun case

WASHINGTON (AP) — Prosecutors pushed back Monday against Hunter Biden’s move to subpoena documents from Donald Trump and former Justice Department officials in the firearms case filed against the president’s son. They argued that Hunter Biden doesn’t have enough evidence to support his claims of potential political interference in the criminal investigation against him and […]

16 minutes ago

(Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Photo)...

Associated Press

Treasury creates new strike force as US and China pursue crackdown on illicit fentanyl trafficking

The Treasury Department on Monday announced a new strike force to help combat illicit fentanyl trafficking as the U.S. and China step up stop efforts.

26 minutes ago

Associated Press

Arkansas rules online news personality Cenk Uygur won’t qualify for Democratic presidential primary

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas election officials on Monday said online news personality Cenk Uygur, who was born in Turkey, can’t appear on the state’s Democratic presidential primary ballot next year. The determination comes weeks after Uygur proclaimed that he had become the first naturalized citizen on a presidential ballot after filing paperwork with […]

58 minutes ago

Associated Press

Reported cancellation of Virginia menorah lighting draws rebuke from governor

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) — Virginia political leaders, including Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, on Monday condemned the reported cancellation of a menorah lighting at a community event in Williamsburg over apparent concerns related to the Israel-Hamas war. The criticism from Youngkin and members of the General Assembly from both parties came after the Virginia Gazette reported […]

1 hour ago

FILE - Office of Management and Budget director Shalanda Young speaks about the possible government...

Associated Press

White House warns Congress the US is out of money, nearly out of time to avoid ‘kneecap’ to Ukraine

The White House has warned Congress the U.S. is out of money and nearly out of time to avoid a 'kneecap' to Ukraine.

1 hour ago

Associated Press

Minnesota prosecutors won’t charge officers in the death of a man who drowned after fleeing police

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — No law enforcement officers will face criminal charges in the death of a man who fled a traffic stop in the Minneapolis suburb of Robbinsdale. The death was ruled an accidental drowning, prosecutors said Monday. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement that her office found no evidence of inappropriate […]

2 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

(KTAR News Graphic)...

KTAR launches online holiday auction benefitting Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley

KTAR is teaming up with The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley for a holiday auction benefitting thousands of Valley kids.

Follow @KTAR923...

The 2023 Diamondbacks are a good example to count on the underdog

The Arizona Diamondbacks made the World Series as a surprise. That they made the playoffs at all, got past the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Wild Card round, swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS and won two road games in Philadelphia to close out a full seven-game NLCS went against every expectation. Now, […]

...

Desert Institute for Spine Care

Desert Institute for Spine Care (DISC) wants to help Valley residents address back, neck issues through awake spine surgery

As the weather begins to change, those with back issues can no longer rely on the dry heat to aid their backs. That's where DISC comes in.

President Joe Biden says he will request more funding for a new coronavirus vaccine