Joe Biden announced removal of age restrictions to receive COVID-19 vaccine

United States President Joe Biden announced the removal of age restrictions on receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, during what was his first nationwide message. defended his massive economic stimulus package, but also highlighted progress in COVID-19 vaccination, who are considering a way out of the pandemic.

“I am directing states, tribes and territories to ensure that all over 18s are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine starting May 1”Joe Biden announced from the White House.

“If we all do our part, this country will soon be vaccinated. our economy will recover. the kids went back to school and proved once again that this country can do it all, underlined the president.

“We know what we need to do to beat this virus. Tell the truth and follow the science ”, Biden said during his first speech in the country.

“Listen to Dr. Fauci, one of the world’s most distinguished voices. He assured us that the vaccines are safe “Biden suggested during his message. “If we all do our part, there’s a good chance that on July 4th we can come together in small groups to celebrate Independence Day.” added the US president.

On the 50th day of his mandate, the President made his first prime-time address at 8 p.m. local time, 1 GMT on Fridays.

“When I took office 50 days ago, 8% of those over 65 had taken the first dose. Today, this figure is higher than 65% ”, assured the North American president.

Hours before starting his message to the nation, White House officials announced that Biden to announce COVID-19 vaccines will be available to all adult Americans by May 1, and not just for the elderly, health workers and those who belong to risk groups like now, according to the criteria of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“We will have enough vaccines for all adults in the United States by May, months ahead of schedule.”announced the US president.

“It’s the truth. The only way to get our lives back and get the economy back on track is to beat the virus.”explained the president. “There are real reasons to hope, I promise you,” he assured. “We see the light at the end of the tunnel“.

Biden made an important warning during his remarks, assuming that: “If we are not vigilant, we may have to reimpose restrictions. We don’t want to do this. “

“I know it has been difficult. as I told you before “, assured the Democratic president. “I have a map in my pocket with the number of Americans who have died of covid today, the total death toll in the United States, over 527,000,” a d.

The president, who spoke Thursday evening from the White House, also raised the possibility of Americans meeting “in small groups” on the national holiday of July 4. empower dentists, medical assistants, veterinarians and medical students as vaccinators to streamline the campaign, according to Washington Post.

“We worked with vaccine manufacturers to buy millions of doses. Johnson & Johnson is working with a competitor, Merck, to increase its capacity (…) these competitors have come together for the good of the nation and should be applauded for it ”, Biden pointed out.

The long-awaited recovery plan

Despite block opposition from Republicans, who denounce overspending, Democrats – who are in the majority in the House of Representatives – on Wednesday adopted a $ 1.9 trillion plan, an amount equal to Italy’s GDP. Celebrating “a historic victory for the Americans,” Biden announced his intention to defend the plan, which he will sign on Friday, across the country.

His speech to the nation came exactly one year after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 pandemic.

The virus caused more than 525,000 deaths in the United States and the world’s largest economy contracted 3.5% last year, its worst performance since World War II.

Thanks to the green light from Congress, millions of Americans will receive new direct aid controls for a total amount of approximately $ 400,000 million. The plan also runs through September exceptional unemployment benefits expiring March 14. And it is devoting $ 126,000 million to schools, from preschools to high schools, to support their reopening despite the pandemic, as well as $ 350,000 million to states and local groups.

In the midst of a full-scale vaccination campaign, the White House announced that it wanted to purchase an additional 100 million doses from Johnson & Johnson, which would double the quantity ordered by the United States from this pharmaceutical company.

The country has already made requests to receive until the end of May the doses necessary to immunize all American adults, thanks to two other licensed vaccines – one from Pfizer / BioNTech and one from Moderna – for which the US government has ordered 300 million. doses of each.

But the president insists on the need to prepare for possible setbacks. “We need maximum flexibility (…) A lot can happen and we have to be ready,” he said. “If we have a surplus, we will share it with the rest of the world,” he also said.

“I promise you that we will come out stronger, with renewed faith and a mutual commitment to the country. We are in the United States and there is nothing we can do when we are together “Biden said in his White House speech.

Trump demands credit

This handling of the pandemic contrasts with that of his ruling predecessor, Donald Trump, who has come to recognize that he had deliberately underestimated the severity of COVID-19 in the first months of the pandemic so as not to panic.

From his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, his Republican predecessor tried to put himself in the spotlight again Wednesday evening. “I hope all Americans will remember when they receive the COVID-19 vaccine that If I hadn’t been president, they wouldn’t receive this wonderful injection for five years at the earliest.He wrote in a short statement.

“I hope everyone will remember this,” added Trump, who despite his defeat at the end of his first term, does not rule out running again as a candidate in 2024.

(With information from AFP)

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