By Dominic Taylor-
President Joe Biden said social distancing and vaccination will be necessary in order for small gatherings to be possible from July 4.
The president announced the move during a speech on Thursday evening, in which he urged Americans to continue to obey mask mandates. He hailed Americans as people who can achieve anything.
He did not touch the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, currently being investigated after a small number of people developed blood clots- a relatively small number compared with the number that have taken it without consequence.. on Dec. 14.
Over 87 million doses of the vaccine in the U.S have been administered, reaching 17.3% of the total U.S. population, according to federal data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Biden urged the country to listen to Dr. Anthony Fauchi and obey the science, as he urged the American people to talk to their neighbours, their friends, to keep washing their hands, and wear masks, as he marked independent day as a realistic target for a substantial easing of restrictions, accelerating the chances of Americans becoming ”independent from the virus”.
Biden told the American people, he will not relent until we bet the virus, emotionally adding, but “I need you.” “I need you. We need everyone to get vaccinated he told the American people, as he implored the U.S public to follow the science.
Biden confirmed plans to increase the number of places where people can be vaccinated with veterinarians and dentists also allowed to vaccinate people.
“Smart action today will prevent the spread of the virus tomorrow,” he said. “The virus will not have a chance against us. No nation is more prepared, or more resilient than the United States,” he said.
His speech came just hours after the president signed a $1.9tn (£1.4tn) economic relief bill that marks an early legislative victory for his administration
Biden spoke about a virus which was left unchecked and denied at the beginning of the pandemic- a dig at former U.S president Trump’s policy handling of the pandemic.
Biden announced that he is directing states to open vaccine eligibility to all adults by May 1, as he stressed the urgency to return to normalcy in the U.S.
The bill includes $1,400 payments, an extension of jobless benefits, and a child tax credit that is expected to lift millions out of poverty. The stimulus payments are set to begin this month.
It also allocates $350bn to state and local governments, some $130bn to school reopening, $49bn for expanded Covid-19 testing and research, as well as $14bn for vaccine distribution.
Mr Biden said the relief package will rebuild “the backbone of this country”. The spending bill, one of the largest in US history, passed Congress without a single Republican supporter.
Republicans objected to the bill’s price tag, as they wanted various elements of the package to be smaller. They suggested that stimulus cheques be given only to those who have lost income over the past year.
President Joe Biden said the COVID-19 vaccines are so safe that he and Vice President Kamala Harris got vaccinated in public.
The remark follows recent reports that President Donald Trump privately received the vaccine in January while he was president. He is the only former president to not be vaccinated in public.
He stressed the high toll of more than 529,00 people who have died in the US and infected over 29 million.
Biden said the nation has to stay vigilant. Conditions can change, which could require reinstating restrictions, he said.
Joe Biden was originally expected to sign the ambitiously named “American Recovery Plan Act” at the White House on Friday. Instead the final step in enacting the president’s first significant piece of legislation was moved up to Thursday afternoon.
An official ceremony is still planned for Friday, but the scheduling change reveals an administration anxious to get busy selling the American people on the benefits of this massive and multifaceted piece of government spending.