The U.S. will pivot toward the “commercialization” of COVID-19 vaccines, treatments and tests in the coming year instead of a scenario in which the government is the main purchaser, according to the White House virus coordinator.
Tests are available commercially through pharmacies but the government has regularly purchased vaccines for initial courses and booster campaigns, offering them for free at clinics and pharmacies.
Also, the government secured a tranche of reformulated boosters for this fall.
Yet Congress is reluctant to authorize billions in new funding for COVID-19 supplies and emergency coverage rules around the products will end at some point.