Biden, CDC warn of virus rebound
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and a top health official warned Monday that Americans are declaring virus victory too quickly, appealing for mask requirements and other restrictions to be maintained or restored to stave off a “fourth surge”î of COVID-19. The head of the CDC said she had a feeling of “impending doom”î if people keep easing off.
The double dose of warnings came even as Biden laid out hopeful new steps to expand vaccinations, with all adults to become eligible over the next 5 weeks. Biden announced plans to expand the number of pharmacies that are administering vaccines, and investments to help Americans get to vaccination sites. But the optimism was tempered by stark warnings about the potential for another wave.
“This is deadly serious,”î Biden said, urging governors to reinstate mask mandates and other restrictions that some states have been easing.
Hours earlier, during a virtual White House health briefing, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, grew emotional as she reflected on her experience treating COVID-19 patients who are alone at the end of their lives.
“We have so much to look forward to, so much promise and potential of where we are and so much reason for hope,” she said. “But right now, I’m scared.”î
Cases of the virus are up about 10 percent over the previous week, to about 60,000 cases per day, with both hospitalizations and deaths ticking up as well, Walensky said. She warned that without immediate action the U.S. could follow European countries into another spike in cases and suffer needless deaths.
Later Monday, Biden addressed the nation from the White House, declaring, “If we let our guard down now, we can see the virus getting worse, not better. People are letting up on precautions, which is a very bad thing.”î
Biden delivered a direct appeal to governors, state and local leaders to reinstate mask-wearing requirements if they have lifted them, and said he encouraged leaders to pause plans to further ease virus-related restrictions.
“Please, this is not politics, reinstate the mandate if you let it down,” he said.
Biden announced that by April 19 at least 90 percent of the adult U.S. population would be eligible for vaccination — and would have access to a vaccination site within 5 miles of home.
Meanwhile, the White House is moving to double the number of pharmacies participating in the federal retail pharmacy program — which has emerged as among the most efficient avenues for administering vaccines — and increase the number of doses for them to deliver. Retail pharmacies are located relatively close to most Americans and have experience delivering vaccines like flu shots.
Biden announced that the U.S. is expecting delivery of 33 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine this week.
In other coronavirus news:
Vaccines live up to promise
NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. government’s first look at the real-world use of COVID-19 vaccines found their effectiveness was nearly as robust as it was in controlled studies.
The two vaccines available since December — Pfizer and Moderna — were highly effective at 90 percent after two doses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Monday. In testing, the vaccines were about 95 percent effective in preventing COVID-19.
Trump blasts Fauci, Birx
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is slamming two of his most prominent coronavirus advisers. He says Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx are “two self-promoters trying to reinvent history.”î
Fauci is the chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden, and in a statement released Monday evening, Trump calls him “the king of ‘flip-flops.”î He accuses Fauci of “moving the goalposts to make himself look as good as possible”.î
Birx managed the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic, and Trump says she “is a proven liar with very little credibility left.”î
Trump’s comments come in response to a documentary that aired on CNN on Sunday. In the film, Birx says the U.S. did not act aggressively enough to fight the spread of the coronavirus.
Fauci told CNN it seemed like the Trump virus team was “fighting with each other rather than fighting the virus.”î