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Biden lays out plans for COVID-19 testing, vaccinations and masks

32 Comments
By Trevor Hunnicutt and Nandita Bose

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32 Comments
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Just curious, can anyone tell me an airport, airline, and public transit system in America right now that lets you patronize the establishment or vehicle without a mask? Prior to Jan 20th.

The biggest issue is that lots of idiots are throwing their temper tantrums by claiming 'there ain't no law' that says they have to wear a mask. A claim made many times by certain posters on this very website, in fact. So if 'there ain't no law' then these airlines, etc 'can't take away mah rahts' in their frequent childish tantrums.

At least 1500 people have been put on the no-fly list for refusing to wear masks, with many protesting using such language.

Fine. Now it's governmental policy. It's law.

So put the darn mask on.

7 ( +16 / -9 )

Trump's legacy will be the deaths of over 400K Americans - many that could have been prevented had he tackled the virus with as much energy and leadership as President Biden has done in just two days...

One year ago: "We have it under control, it's just one person from China, totally under control"....

Six months ago: Retweeting; "Wearing a mask is Anti-American"....

I hope he faces nothing but a string of civil lawsuits for negligence causing death....

6 ( +9 / -3 )

increase mask-wearing.

Are you kidding me?

Does America still do not know yet that mearing mask is one of basics to prevent the spread of the Virus?

No wonder why they have so high numbers of cases.

5 ( +12 / -7 )

So nice to watch competency at work. Going forward, many lives will be saved because Biden is the one in the White House. As I had hoped, he has also pledged to work with other nations to ensure that Third World countries will also get the vaccines this year.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Politics should not mix with big pharma. That is tyranny. *This is tryanny. Anyone remember V for Vendetta?

My God, you're right. Because of a mediocre superhero movie, we should allow the return of polio and smallpox.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Wait, presidents are allowed to actually do stuff about Covid? I had been under the impression that it was merely a ceremonial position that mainly involved ritualistic complaining about one’s own victimhood. Didn’t know they had any governing power whatsoever until yesterday. Interesting.

4 ( +10 / -6 )

Finally, this is what true leadership for Americans is like.

No golfing, no inane postings on Twitter, no angry potshots at media.

Let the healing begin.

4 ( +11 / -7 )

At least 1500 people have been put on the no-fly list for refusing to wear masks

So basically, you can’t ride an airplane without a mask. Before Biden’s purely symbolic gesture.

Got it. You're with your EX-PRESIDENT who believes;

*President Donald Trump shared a tweet on Thursday that argued the mandated use of face masks to control the spread of the coronavirus represents a "culture of silence, slavery, and social death." The argument against masks was made by a right-wing columnist in The Federalist, a conservative online publication, and claimed that *mandating the safety measure was "anti-American".

https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-shares-tweet-that-says-masks-represent-slavery-and-social-death-2020-5

Remember to not stand under any 5G network towers...unless you have tin foil inside your MAGA hat...

4 ( +7 / -3 )

So basically, you can’t ride an airplane without a mask. Before Biden’s purely symbolic gesture.

No not symbolic Legal protection for airlines.

Before Biden it was the airlines that made that list on their own risking the Qrumpers trying to sue them.

Now it is official policy under the law protecting the airlines from Qrumpers and the rest of the uneducated.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

OMG....a President with actual real policies to confront the crisis' that the country is facing??...I'm not sure I can handle this after the last four years..

3 ( +10 / -7 )

Just curious, can anyone tell me an airport, airline, and public transit system in America right now that lets you patronize the establishment or vehicle without a mask? Prior to Jan 20th.

I doubt you're being 'just curious'. America's now into facts, science, logic and reality vs narrative, lies and illogical statements and questions of the past 4 years. Stirring empty pots doesn't work, anymore.

Please try to keep up.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

Biden lays out plans for COVID-19 testing, vaccinations and masks

This is what leadership looks like.  Something that the US has missed over the last 4 years.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

Before Biden’s purely symbolic gesture.

Even if we’re, If it encourages more people to wear masks that don’t wear them now, it saves lives.

It really is that simple idea to grasp and get onboard with unless it’s just about taking pot shots at the guy who actually won the election.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

His predecessor Donald Trump left much of the planning to individual states, resulting in a patchwork of policies across the country.

Trump never had clue one how to manage. His highest priorities while in office were playing golf and padding his bank accounts. His failures have left more than 400,000 Americans dead, millions sickened, and an economy in shambles. Trump and his Republicans have handed Biden huge problems, some of which may never be solved.

2 ( +14 / -12 )

Biden's tone and plans were in stark contrast to his predecessor, Donald Trump, who often sought to play down the severity of the crisis and left much of the planning to individual states, resulting in a patchwork of policies across the country.

Trump's modus operandi on governing has been to announce something big and grandeur he could get credit for, but leave the grunt work to someone else who'll just follow his lead

Think about it: he started when he announced he'd repeal and replace Obamacare with something better - but he didn't have a plan himself (even though he kept claiming he did) - instead he left it for the Republicans in Congress to figure out the details of a new plan (and that's why the whole exercise ended in failure because there's no main plan to build upon, just ideas)

He did it with immigration reform, North Korea, China trade war, post-Brexit UK trade deal, and again the Covid plan

And now, the new Biden administration has just discovered that Trump's team didn't have a plan for after the vaccine - the plan is just to ride it out until a vaccine. So it's no wonder, during the transition period, that the outgoing Trump administration didn't want to share info with the incoming Biden administration - they'd be found out that they have no plan (too preoccupied contesting the election, I guess)

At least Biden's plan is already laid out right on the White House website for everyone to read and scrutinize - all 198 pages of it:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/National-Strategy-for-the-COVID-19-Response-and-Pandemic-Preparedness.pdf

2 ( +2 / -0 )

At least the Americas will now have full transparency as to when, where and how the vaccines will be available and distributed.

Wish Japan would take note and start being more forthcoming with that information.

Another proposed policy change that Biden is hoping to pass is something many of us here would like.

The removal of the word Alien from government and immigration to be replaced with non citizen.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Looks at that! One day in office and the man is already ACTING on a PLAN, not just acting out after being called out for none.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

As I had hoped, he has also pledged to work with other nations to ensure that Third World countries will also get the vaccines this year.

Those vaccines are actually manufactured in that part of the world, Biden as expected has no clue and is following whatever Fauci is dictating to him..

https://www.wsj.com/articles/indias-vaccine-colossus-is-a-model-for-the-world-to-follow-11609930891

India will mainly only manufacture UK's Oxford-AstraZeneca - and will only get to keep half of it (while exporting the other half to AstraZeneca). Then half of what they keep, they'll give to the poorer nations

"India will supply coronavirus vaccines to the world — will its people benefit? The country will struggle to make and distribute enough doses to control its own massive outbreak, scientists say."

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02507-x

The world’s largest vaccine maker, the Serum Institute of India in Pune, has an agreement to manufacture one billion doses of a coronavirus vaccine being developed by scientists at the University of Oxford, UK, and UK pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca if it is approved for use.

If the vaccine works, the Serum Institute and the Indian government have committed to reserve half the company’s stock of it for India, and to supply half to low-income nations through GAVI, a funder of immunizations for low-income nations, says Adar Poonawalla, Serum’s chief executive.

Scientists have applauded the Indian government for allowing the country’s pharmaceutical companies to export some of their vaccine stocks to other nations. The decision to share supplies contrasts with the stance of nations such as the United States and the United Kingdom, which have each pre-ordered hundreds of millions of doses of coronavirus vaccines under development, enough to supply their respective populations many times over.

The vaccines manufactured by the US and UK have already been purchased to use mainly for their own countries, with some going to their allies (rich developed countries)

Those Pfizer and Moderna vaccines weren't destined to reach the Third World countries for a long time, if at all - that is, until Fauci and the Biden administration decided to join the World Health Organization's COVAX project, which aims to deliver vaccines to poor countries:

"US to join WHO-led vaccine project: Biden’s chief medical adviser - Biden’s chief medical adviser said the US will be part of the COVAX which aims to deliver vaccines to poor countries."

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/21/us-to-join-who-vaccine-project-remain-member-of

“President Biden will issue a directive later today which will include the intent of the United States to join COVAX and support the ACT-Accelerator to advance multilateral efforts for COVID-19 vaccine, therapeutic, and diagnostic distribution, equitable access, and research and development,” Fauci told the WHO executive board.

Trump had halted funding to the WHO and announced a process to withdraw from the agency in July 2020. The former president also refused to join the COVAX project.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Finally, science will take precedence over ignorance. These right-wing, loony anti-maskers have already prolonged this outbreak beyond any comprehension, while crowing about imaginary ‘rights’ they think they have.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Masks have been recommded (and sometimes proscribed, depending on the state) for months now.

Trump has always been wishy-washy with masking - at times he's for it; at other times he's against it. So people were getting mixed messages

(Not anymore now)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

More good has been done in the past two days than during the whole of the fat guy's four years in the WH. And I bet Joe hasn't even thought about golf.

-1 ( +10 / -11 )

ReynardFox

Finally, science will take precedence over ignorance. These right-wing, loony anti-maskers have already prolonged this outbreak beyond any comprehension, while crowing about imaginary ‘rights’ they think they have.

Can you tell us in what way "science" sudenly takes precedence here? Masks have been recommded (and sometimes proscribed, depending on the state) for months now. And Trump started the vaccine development program that Biden now inherits. What exactly is new here, apart from the shift in media reporting from being adversarial to sycophantic?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Golf clap, President Biden.

Just got a 50 cnt box of cheap 3-layer masks for $7. We have been self-isolating for 10-ish months now as much a possible.

Drove the car less than 500 miles total in the last year. It would be cheaper to cancel insurance and rent as needed if this keeps up.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Politics should not mix with big pharma. That is tyranny. *This is tryanny. Anyone remember V for Vendetta?

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Wow, President Biden will use the Defense Production Act. Wonder why Trump never did? Amazing that it only took Biden two days to get a vaccine ready too. Wish Trump had started work on that...

-7 ( +6 / -13 )

Trump never had clue one how to manage. His highest priorities while in office were playing golf and padding his bank accounts. His failures have left more than 400,000 Americans dead, millions sickened, and an economy in shambles. Trump and his Republicans have handed Biden huge problems, some of which may never be solved.

That's a very pathetic narrative..come up with something factual and original..

-9 ( +3 / -12 )

As I had hoped, he has also pledged to work with other nations to ensure that Third World countries will also get the vaccines this year.

Those vaccines are actually manufactured in that part of the world, Biden as expected has no clue and is following whatever Fauci is dictating to him..

https://www.wsj.com/articles/indias-vaccine-colossus-is-a-model-for-the-world-to-follow-11609930891

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

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