President Biden on Thursday presented a strategy for dealing with the coronavirus, which included increased funding and the number of federal officials deployed to meet an ambitious set of goals to combat the pandemic.
Its national strategy consists of ten new executive decrees ordering federal agencies to carry out a variety of reforms designed to, among other things, fill supply gaps. The White House will establish a COVID-19 Response Office responsible for coordinating the multi-faceted effort among federal agencies.
Some of the main provisions include instructing the federal government to fully reimburse vaccination costs, using National Guard personnel, providing emergency supplies and allowing schools to reopen. The strategy also creates a Public Health Jobs Corps designed to have 100,000 COVID-19 contact trackers, community health workers and public health nurses.
Biden issued an executive order working to implement masking in the United States. One of its new orders instructs the agencies to demand the use of masks on “many planes, trains and certain other forms of public transport”.
STATES REPORT COVID-19 VACCINES SHORTAGES AND CANCELLATION OF APPOINTMENTS
Thursday’s announcement reflected an effort to follow up on an issue that was the centerpiece of his campaign promises and criticisms of the previous government. On Thursday, the U.S. surpassed 400,000 deaths related to the 24 million cases of the virus – consequences for which Democrats blamed former President Trump.
Biden’s first stated goal is to “restore trust with the American people”, working to make transparent decisions, conducting regular briefings and leading “scientific public health campaigns first.”
“To rebuild the confidence of the American people, the National Strategy will signal clear public leadership and a commitment to a robust government-wide response that puts science first,” says the strategy document. “The federal government will be transparent to the American people, maintaining an open line of communication with the public and all interested parties.”
“The federal government will be transparent to the American people, maintaining an open line of communication with the public and all interested parties.”
Biden is restoring the National Security Council entity that former President Obama created to deal with pandemics. The president also sent letters informing the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO) that the U.S. would reverse Trump’s decision to withdraw from WHO.
The battle against the coronavirus is hitting an obstacle: several states are reporting they are running out of vaccines and tens of thousands of people who have managed to schedule a first dose are seeing them canceled.
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The drive to vaccinate Americans has faced shortages as states dramatically increase their vaccination initiatives, under the guidance of the federal government, to reach people aged 65 and over, along with other groups deemed essential or at high risk.
About half of the 31 million doses distributed to the states by the federal government have been administered so far, although only about 2 million people have received the two doses required for maximum protection against COVID-19, according to the Centers for Control and Prevention of Diseases.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.