FLICKR, IAN BURT“It is very difficult to get people to invest in something that hasn’t happened yet,” National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci said during a recent US House of Representatives hearing, STAT News reported. Senators this week (May 12) announced a $1.1 billion Zika funding agreement, which is expected to pass in the Senate. The deal is less than the $1.9 billion requested by the Obama administration earlier this year and, as STAT noted, does not cover the restoration of funds intended for Ebola response that have been redirected to Zika preparations. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) told STAT that the proposed $1.1 billion is “not enough, especially when the amount will likely be reduced further by House Republicans.”
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is moving ahead of Congress. The agency today (May 13) invited local health agencies to apply for Zika prep–related grants, following the redirection of $85 million in Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) funds. “These funds will allow states and territories to continue implementation of their Zika preparedness plans, but are not enough to support a comprehensive Zika response and can only temporarily address what is needed,” Stephen Redd, director of CDC’s Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, said in a statement. The CDC noted that applications are due a month from now, on June 13.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) this week (May 12) advised athletes and others heading to Brazil for ...
