President Biden
Joe BidenManchin cements key vote status in Senate 50-50 Note: how COVID revalued policy Post-pandemic plans for lawmakers: Chuck E. Cheese, visiting friends, clean hugs MORE Thursday marked a year of pandemic restrictions, and he urged Americans to come together and do their part to be vigilant against the coronavirus to return to normalcy in the summer.
In his first early speech as president, Biden made an emotional appeal to Americans who have lost their loved ones to COVID-19 and to those who are facing financial and personal difficulties after a year of insulation.
The president balanced his gaze towards the black year by offering a sense of optimism. He outlined the steps his administration is taking to increase the distribution of vaccines, including a call for states to make all adults able to receive a shot before May 1st.
The country has seen hospitalizations, deaths, and general cases steadily decline in recent months as the climate warms and more Americans are vaccinated. Many states have begun lifting restrictions, but Biden warned that progress could be lost if Americans do not unite with a national purpose to defeat the virus.
“Even if we dedicate all the resources we have, overcoming this virus and returning to normalcy depends on national unity,” he said. “And national unity is not just how politics and politicians vote in Washington, what the strongest voices say on cable or the Internet. Unity is what we do as fellow Americans. Because if we don’t say vigilance and conditions change, we may have to reset the restrictions to get back on track. “
Biden announced he would run the states so that all adults were eligible to receive shots by May 1 at the latest. The administration plans to increase vaccinators and increase the number of places Americans can receive vaccines, and announced the creation of a government-run website and call center to help individuals find an appointment with the vaccine once they are eligible.
The Biden administration has purchased enough doses of vaccine to have an adequate supply for all adults by the end of May, although the president warned that it did not mean all Americans would be vaccinated by then.
But with each of these steps and the continued hiding and social distancing of the public, Biden said, the country could see an environment where it is safe to hold small meetings on July 4 with friends and family.
Biden, who has leaned into empathy throughout the pandemic, acknowledged the pain and loss the American people felt over the past year, during which more than 530,000 Americans died due to of the virus, millions of people lost their jobs and thousands of companies were shut down.
“Although it was different for everyone, we all lost something. A collective suffering, a collective sacrifice “, said Biden. The president then took a card out of his jacket pocket which he used to track the number of deaths from the virus.
Biden reflected on missed birthdays, weddings, graduations and first dates, as well as on the loss of lives and employment experienced by many.
“It’s the details of life that matter most and we miss them,” Biden said. “All of this has come at a terrible cost to the psyche of so many of us because we are basically a people who want to be with others.”
However, the speech contained a clear message of hope to end the pandemic.
The president’s address came after he achieved his first major legislative victory with the approval of his $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus aid plan, which he signed into law Thursday earlier.
The bill provides funding for direct payments for many Americans, improved unemployment benefits through September, vaccine distribution, and school reopening. Administration officials have considered him critical in the fight against the virus.
During his speech, Biden also sometimes tried to establish a clear contrast with his predecessor.
Old President Trump
Donald TrumpThe note: How he revalidated the COVID policy in Biden seeks his moment with his pandemic A year with the coronavirus: How we get here MORE he was frequently criticized for his lack of empathy in discussing the pandemic’s toll and for his administration’s general response to the pandemic.
Without mentioning Trump by name, Biden said the United States found “denials for days, weeks, and then months,” a reference to his predecessor’s frequent minimization of coronavirus dangers.
Biden went on, repeatedly promising to tell the truth and urging Americans to have confidence in the government’s response to the pandemic.
“It simply came to our notice then. And for all of you wondering when things will return to normal, here’s the truth: The only way to get our lives back, to get our economy back, is to beat the virus, ”Biden said.