WASHINGTON – The White House on Friday launched its pandemic preparedness office, half a year after Congress instructed the administration to set up a new arm in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy is a now-permanent installment in Washington and will first be led by retired Major General Paul Friedrichs, a longtime biosecurity official. It comes roughly two months after the Covid-19 public health emergency ended and weeks after Covid-19 response coordinator Ashish Jha stepped down, reflecting an overall wind-down of the administration’s coronavirus efforts.
advertisement
The creation of a pandemic preparedness office was one of the last major bipartisan pushes for Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) before retiring. He and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) pressed congressional leadership to include the office’s establishment and other pandemic provisions in a spending package passed last December.
Unlock this article by subscribing to STAT+ and enjoy your first 30 days free!
GET STARTED Log In
Previous article：
Bird flu researchers hone in on Finland’s mink farms
Next article： Supreme Court strikes down use of affirmative action
Next article： Supreme Court strikes down use of affirmative action
