White House announces COVID-19 pandemic response plan

The White Home introduced the Nationwide COVID-19 Preparedness Plan on Wednesday, which the administration says goals to maneuver the nation ahead safely and construct on progress two years after the pandemic first hit. 

On the White Home COVID-19 response crew briefing, White Home COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients touted the plan – the results of weeks of labor with consultants each inside and outdoors of presidency – as “sturdy and complete.” 

“At present we have now the instruments we have to defend one another and deal with COVID-19,” he mentioned. “They’re broadly obtainable for the American folks. And, with Congress’ assist, the president’s plan will ensure that’s all the time the case.” 

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Echoing feedback made by President Biden, he mentioned that the administration can be ready for the rollout of vaccines for kids beneath the age of 5 years outdated. 

He additionally referenced the “Check to Deal with” initiative the president introduced at his State of the Union deal with Tuesday evening, and the trouble to make extra free at-home COVID-19 assessments and N95 masks obtainable. 

“Check to Deal with” permits for People to get examined for coronavirus at a pharmacy and obtain antiviral tablets “on the spot without charge” if they’re optimistic. 

“Vaccines, therapies, assessments, masks – these instruments are how we proceed to guard folks. They allow us to maneuver ahead safely and get again to our extra regular routines,” he famous. Zients added that the federal government will launch an internet site to make sure People can discover instruments at handy areas later in March. 

Well being and Human Companies (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra later highlighted that the federal government has, up to now, distributed 690 million doses of vaccines, 4 million therapies, greater than 270 million free N95s and free COVID-19 assessments to 70 million households.

The Nationwide Institutes of Well being (NIH), he mentioned, would additional develop analysis and ramp up knowledge sharing, with the likelihood for launch new facilities ought to Congress present funding. 

Becerra mentioned the administration would coordinate a “complete of presidency effort” to assist kids and households who’ve skilled the lack of liked one as a consequence of COVID-19, in addition to concentrate on strengthening psychological and behavioral well being companies. 

The secretary mentioned HHS would proceed to deal with the particular wants of seniors, folks with disabilities and people who are immunocompromised. 

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The 96-page Nationwide COVID-19 Preparedness Plan focuses on 4 key targets, together with defending in opposition to and treating the illness, making ready for brand new variants, stopping financial and academic shutdowns and persevering with to guide the trouble to vaccinate the world. 

Zients mentioned that the U.S. variant monitoring system is able to reply and may now detect variants at a “very low stage.” 

He mentioned the plan would create stockpiles of private protecting gear, assessments and coverings and mentioned that the plan would proceed to make sure that faculties, employees and workplaces have the sources they want. 

That features a new clear air in constructing guidelines from the Environmental Safety Company (EPA) and a request for Congress to reinstate tax credit to assist small and mid-sized companies with paid sick and household depart. 

Lastly, Zients mentioned that the president’s plan consists of persevering with to donate extra vaccines worldwide and “doubling down on efforts to show these vaccines into vaccinations.” 

So far, greater than 215 million People are absolutely vaccinated and two-thirds of eligible U.S. adults have acquired a booster shot. 

As Zients identified, the plan requires Congress to spend money on instruments and the plan pushed in opposition to the concept of simply “dwelling with COVID.” 

“Make no mistake, President Biden won’t settle for simply ‘dwelling with COVID’ any greater than we settle for ‘dwelling with’ most cancers, Alzheimer’s, or AIDS. We are going to proceed our work to cease the unfold of the virus, blunt its impression on those that get contaminated, and deploy new therapies to dramatically scale back the prevalence of extreme COVID-19 illness and deaths,” it mentioned. 

The president mentioned Tuesday that his administration would by no means surrender on vaccinating extra People and would go away nobody behind. 

Vaccines might be deployed inside 100 days in response to a brand new variant and Biden mentioned he would quickly ship a request to Congress. 

“Now we have misplaced a lot to COVID-19. Time with each other. And worst of all, a lot lack of life …” he mentioned. “… We are able to’t change how divided we’ve been. However we are able to change how we transfer ahead – on COVID-19 and different points we should face collectively.”