The plan outlined in President Joe Biden’s primetime coronavirus address Thursday night should allow Americans to be “closer to normal” by Independence Day, senior administration officials say.
The officials told reporters ahead of Biden’s speech, scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET, that the remarks will outline the second phase of Biden’s “whole of government” approach to ending the pandemic, with an emphasis on four core areas. (RELATED: President Joe Biden Signs $1.9 Trillion American Rescue Plan Into Law)
- Order all states, tribes and territories to make every adult in the U.S. eligible to receive a vaccination by May 1, 2021
- Launch a website and call center that will assist Americans in finding a vaccine near them
- Take additional steps to fully reopen schools in accordance with mitigation guidelines, including the implementation of screening techniques
- Combat the spread of the virus and limit the development of new COVID variants
Additionally, POTUS plans to announce steps to scale up vaccinations and testing across all levels of government and will call on every American to do their part in combating the pandemic.
Still, officials warned reporters that the July 4 timeline is a best case scenario, implying that it could take significantly longer to return to normalcy if individuals do not get vaccinated and do not abide by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
“The fight is far from over,” one official stated. “But together, unified, we can defeat this pandemic.”
The president and Vice President Kamala Harris will visit a number of states next week to celebrate the passage of the latest coronavirus stimulus package and deliver additional remarks on what Americans must do to hit the July 4 goal.
You can watch Biden’s entire Thursday night address below:
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