On the heels of President Joe Biden telling agencies to brace for a potential government shutdown, HHS anticipates the move would furlough 43 percent of its staff.
Should funding expire, HHS would tap various government agencies to assist with pandemic-related activities, according to The Washington Post.
The FDA would helm authorizations, the CDC would continue support services, such as lab work, and other government officials would continue vaccine rollout.
As the country battles the delta variant of the coronavirus, Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical adviser for the Biden administration, said now is "the worst time in the world" for a shutdown, according to The Washington Post.