WASHINGTON — State and local health departments remain in limbo over whether they’ll need to single-handedly fund their own COVID-19 vaccines and treatments as a stalemate in Congress drags into its fourth month.

The Biden administration has raised alarm bells about the risk of inaction after sending Congress a request for $22.5 billion in early March. U.S. lawmakers continue to be unable to pass two bipartisan agreements, however.

State and local health departments are now left wondering if they'll have to bid against one another and even compete with other nations to purchase tests, treatments, and vaccines - a costly endeavor.

“If we get to a place where it’s every state for themselves, that’s going to cause major problems,” said Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

State and local health departments have contributed significant resources toward fighting COVID-19, but the federal government has shouldered the cost of free vaccines and therapeutics as well.

“If you live in New York or California, you’ll have very good access to these things. If you live in a Southern state or a Midwestern state that is less wealthy, then it’s going to be a real problem for those people,” Plescia said.

“And ultimately that has a bearing on all of us, because we are one nation, and we travel around, and we really have to look out for all of the states.”

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