President Biden
Joe BidenManchin Cements Key Voting Status in Senate 50-50 Memorandum: How COVID Changed Politics Post-Pandemic Plans for MPs: Chuck E. Cheese, visiting friends, hugging grandchildren MORE Thursday marked the one-year anniversary of the pandemic restrictions, urging Americans to come together and do their part to remain vigilant against coronavirus to return to an appearance of normalcy by summer.
In his first prime-time speech as president, Biden made an emotional appeal to Americans who have lost loved ones to COVID-19 and to those facing economic and personal hardship after a year of isolation.
The president balanced his gaze back to the gloomy year, offering a sense of optimism. He highlighted the steps his administration is taking to increase the distribution of vaccines, including a call for states to bring all eligible adults to receive a shot by May 1.
The country has seen steadily declining hospitalizations, deaths and general cases in recent months, as the weather warms and more Americans are vaccinated. Many states have begun lifting restrictions, but Biden warned that progress could be lost if Americans do not come together with a sense of national purpose to defeat the virus.
“Even if we dedicate every resource we have, the defeat of this virus and the return to normalcy depends on national unity,” he said. “And national unity is not just the way politics and politicians vote in Washington, which is what the strongest voices say on cable or online. Unity is what we do as American colleagues. Because if we don’t say vigilantes and the conditions change, then we may have to re-establish the restrictions in order to get back on track. ”
Biden said he would direct states to make all adults eligible for shooting by May 1 at the latest. The administration intends to expand vaccinators and expand the locations where Americans can vaccinate, and has advocated for the creation of a government-run website and call center to help people find an appointment with the vaccine after they are eligible.
The Biden administration purchased enough doses of vaccine to have an adequate supply for each adult by the end of May, although the president warned that it does not mean that every American will be vaccinated by then.
But with each of these steps and continued disguise and social distancing from the public, Biden said, the country could see an environment where it is safe to hold small gatherings on July 4 with friends and family.
Biden, who has empathized with the pandemic, acknowledged the pain and loss of the American people in the past year, as more than 530,000 Americans have died from the virus, millions have lost jobs and thousands been closed.
“Although it was different for everyone, we all lost something. A collective suffering, a collective sacrifice “, said Biden. The president then took a notecard from his jacket pocket and used it to track the number of deaths caused by the virus.
Biden reflected on missed birthdays, weddings, graduations and first dates, as well as the loss of life and jobs experienced by many.
“The details of life matter the most and we lack those details,” Biden said. “Everything has come at a terrible cost to the psyche of many of us, because we are fundamentally a people who want to be with others.”
However, the speech conveyed a clear message of hope for an end to the pandemic.
The president’s speech came after he secured his first major legislative victory by adopting his $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus aid plan, which he signed into law on Thursday.
The bill provides funding for direct payments to many Americans, increased unemployment benefits through September, the distribution of vaccines and the reopening of the school. Administration officials said he was critical of the fight against the virus.
During his speech, Biden sometimes sought to draw a clear contrast with his predecessor.
Former President Trump
Donald Trump Memo: How COVID changed policy Biden seeks its moment with a pandemic address A year with coronavirus: How I got here MORE he was frequently criticized for his lack of empathy when discussing the pandemic rate and his administration’s overall response to the pandemic.
Without mentioning Trump by name, Biden said the United States faced “denials for days, weeks, then months,” a reference to his predecessor’s frequent downsizing of coronavirus dangers.
Biden continued, repeatedly vowing to tell the truth, urging Americans to trust the government’s response to the pandemic.
You owe nothing less than the truth. And for all those who are wondering when things will return to normal, here is the truth: the only way to get our lives back, to get our economy back on track, is to beat the virus, ”Biden said.