Herrera Beutler lauds millions in coronavirus response funding for Washington

Washington state is set to receive more than $11 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for efforts to fight novel coronavirus in the state, a release from U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler’s office announced March 11.

The $11.48 million in funding will be used to reimburse test kit use, quarantine unit setup and transportation of patients to quarantine locations, the release stated. Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, was able to help secure the funding as part of her position as a senior member on the House Appropriations Committee.

“With hundreds of cases in Washington state and a confirmed case in Clark County, it’s crucial we eliminate the testing backlog and strengthen quarantining efforts, which is why I’m glad to see the funding I helped put in place coming back to assist here in Southwest Washington,” Herrera Beutler said in the release. “I’ll keep doing everything I can to keep our families and community safe and healthy, and to get the coronavirus under control.”

The funding joins $2.75 million in CDC dollars approved last week by the Department of Health and Human Services intended for state and local jurisdictions to respond to the coronavirus outbreak, the release stated. Of those funds, $1.75 million was for data management, lab equipment, supplies, shipping, infection control, and surge staffing, and the other $1 million was to build upon existing influenza activities and surveillance systems in Washington state.

In total Washington State has received about $14.23 million in funding to combat the outbreak, which has canceled events locally and led to Gov. Jay Inslee prohibiting public gatherings of more than 250 people in the Puget Sound area. The release noted that Herrera Beutler, with her position on the appropriations committee, helped to secure a $7.8 billion supplemental package for coronavirus response that Congress passed and the president signed into law last week.

— The Reflector