Omicron variant on the rise, elected officials push for COVID-19 and Pandemic Response Centers of Excellence Act

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Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney are urging the government not to “wait until it’s too late” to be prepared for the next COVID-19 variant and pandemic.

With the recent discovery of Omicron cases in New York City, Gillibrand and Maloney are pushing for COVID-19 and Pandemic Response Centers to prepare for emergency situations that can better access and control potential outbreaks from future variants through coordinated task hubs.  

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck New York City, hospitals and first responders were overwhelmed with the vast number of patients flooding into emergency rooms. Medical supplies were scarce and impromptu sites were erected to manage the sheer number of infected. One of the biggest criticisms leveled at government when the virus’s onslaught began was that the United States was not ready.