Public health advocates in Maine say the federal government's abrupt decision to cut off more than $11 billion in COVID-related grant money for state and local health programs — including $91 million in Maine — short-sighted.
Matt Wellington, associate director of the Maine Public Health Association, said the money helped fill gaps in public health infrastructure that were exposed during the pandemic, including biosecurity and addiction and mental health services.
"It was putting systems in place, like, for example, a lot of states use it for wastewater surveillance efforts," he said. "And that kind of surveillance, of course it helps catch Covid, but it also catches lots of other diseases that could be spreading into our communities."
Wellington compared the importance of the funding to taking care of a house.
"When you have a major storm and discover a bunch of leaks in your roof, you're going to want to fix those leaks before the next storm," he said.
Wellington says the Maine Public Health Association is urging the state's congressional delegation to use their authority to reinstate the money, which was already appropriated by Congress.
A spokesperson for Maine's Department of Health and Human Services said the funding was terminated as of March 24, and the Department is assessing the implications.
