Biden Signs Bill To End Covid Emergency Status In US

US President Joe Biden has signed a bill to terminate the national emergency for Covid-19 in the country after three years.

US President Joe Biden while addressing a press conference ( Image Source :Getty )

After three years, US President Joe Biden has signed a bill to terminate the national emergency status in the country for Covid-19. The White House stated that this move would not affect the end of the separate public health emergency which is scheduled for May 11. The public health programme enabled the government to provide Covid-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines free of cost to Americans. It also enhanced the social safety net benefits, to help the US cope with the pandemic while minimising its impact, reported CNN. 

An official from the White House downplayed the impact of the bill while saying that the termination "does not impact our ability to wind down authorities in an orderly way," as quoted by CNN. He said, “To be clear, ending the National Emergency will not impact the planned wind-down of the Public Health Emergency on May 11.”

The White House signaled strong opposition to the bill ending the emergency status in the country, however, it said that if it came across President Biden's desk then he would sign it. The White House had planned to end both emergencies by May 11.

The new law ends the national emergency and public health emergency first enacted during the Trump government and continued in the Biden administration. Former President Donald Trump first declared a national emergency over the virus on March 13, 2020, retroactive to March 1 of that year, reported news agency ANI.

The legislation was passed by the House 229-197 in February, with a handful of Democratic supporters, and then the Senate by 68-23 last month with about half of the chamber's Democrats voting in favour, reported news agency ANI. 

Covid-19 In India

As the US ends the national emergency bill, the Covid-19 situation in India does not look so good with the rise in cases. 5,880 new cases were recorded on Monday making the active cases count stand at 35,199. The tally for the ones recovered on Monday stood at 4,41,96,318 and the death toll stood at 5,30,979. 

Nation-wide mock drills are being conducted to check the preparedness of both private and public hospitals.