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US President-elect Joe Biden has unveiled a $ 1.9 trillion plan for the coronavirus to end “a crisis of profound human suffering” by accelerating vaccines and providing financial aid to those struggling with the economic fallout. prolonged periods of the pandemic.
Called the “American Rescue Plan,” the legislative proposal would meet Biden’s goal of administering 100 million vaccines by the 100th day of his administration and advance his goal of reopening most schools by spring. In parallel, it delivers another round of aid to stabilize the economy as the public health effort seeks the upper hand over the pandemic.
“Not only do we have an economic imperative to act now, I think we have a moral obligation,” Biden said in a national speech on Thursday (local time). At the same time, he acknowledged that his plan “does not come cheap.”
Biden proposed checks of $ 1,400 for most Americans, which in addition to the $ 600 provided in the most recent Covid-19 bill, would bring the total to the $ 2,000 that Biden has requested. It would also extend a temporary increase in unemployment benefits and a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures until September.
And it fits the goals of long-term Democratic policy, such as raising the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour, expanding paid leave for workers and increasing tax credits for families with children. The last item would facilitate the return to work of women, which in turn would help the economy to recover.
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The political outlook for the legislation remains unclear. In a joint statement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer praised Biden for including liberal priorities and said they would act quickly to pass it after Biden takes office next Wednesday. . But Democrats have narrow margins in both houses of Congress, and Republicans will reject issues ranging from raising the minimum wage to providing more money to states, while demanding the inclusion of their priorities, such as liability protection for companies.
“Remember that a $ 900 billion bipartisan aid bill # COVID19 became law just 18 days ago,” Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, tweeted. But Biden says that was just a down payment, and he promised more major laws next month focused on rebuilding the economy.
Matt Slocum / AP
Joe Biden promises significant action to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
“The crisis of profound human suffering is in sight and there is no time to lose,” Biden said. “We have to act and we have to act now.”
Still, he sought to manage expectations. “We are better equipped to do this than any nation in the world,” he said. “But even with all these small steps, it will take time.”
Its aid bill would be paid with borrowed money, adding to trillions of debts the government has already incurred to deal with the pandemic. The advisers said Biden will argue that the additional spending and borrowing are necessary to prevent the economy from sliding into an even deeper hole. Interest rates are low, which makes debt more manageable.
Biden has long argued that economic recovery is inextricably linked to controlling the coronavirus.
That squares with the judgment of the US Chamber of Commerce, the most powerful business lobby group and traditionally an adversary of Democrats. “We must defeat Covid before we can restore our economy, and that requires accelerating our vaccination efforts,” the House said in a statement Thursday night that welcomed Biden’s plan but fell short of endorsing it.
Matt Slocum / AP
Thousands of people die every day in the US due to Covid-19.
The plan comes as a divided nation finds itself in the grip of the most dangerous wave of the pandemic yet. So far, more than 385,000 people have died from Covid-19 in the United States. And government figures released Thursday reported a rise in weekly jobless claims, to 965,000, a sign that rising infections are forcing companies to cut and lay off workers.
Under Biden’s multi-front strategy, about $ 400 billion would go directly to fighting the pandemic, while the rest is focused on economic relief and aid to states and localities.
About $ 20 billion would be allocated for a more disciplined approach to vaccination, in addition to the $ 8 billion already approved by Congress. Biden has called for the creation of mass vaccination centers and the dispatch of mobile units to areas with difficult access.
With the backing of Congress and the expertise of private and government scientists, the Trump administration delivered two highly effective vaccines and more are on the way. However, a month after the first injections were given, the nation’s vaccination campaign has gotten off to a slow start with approximately 11 million people receiving the first of two injections, although more than 30 million doses have been administered.
White House / Youtube
The Donald Trump administration has largely left it to each state to decide how to deal with Covid-19 and vaccines.
Biden called the launch of the vaccine “an unfortunate failure so far” and said he would provide more details about his vaccination campaign on Friday.
The plan also provides $ 50 billion to expand testing, which is seen as key to reopening most schools by the end of the first 100 days of the new administration. About $ 130 billion would be allocated to help schools reopen without risking further contagion.
The plan would fund the hiring of 100,000 public health workers, to focus on encouraging people to get vaccinated and tracing the contacts of people infected with the coronavirus.
There is also a proposal to boost investment in genetic sequencing, to help track new virus strains, including the most contagious variants identified in the UK and South Africa.
Matt Slocum / AP
Biden has called the vaccine launch “an unfortunate failure” so far.
Throughout the plan, there is a focus on ensuring that minority communities that have endured the brunt of the pandemic are not disappointed in vaccines and treatments, attendees said.
With the new proposals comes a call to redouble efforts on the basics.
Biden is calling on Americans to reverse their sense of pandemic fatigue and re-commit to wearing masks, practicing social distancing and avoiding indoor gatherings, particularly larger ones. It remains the surest way to curb the Covid-19 wave, with more than 4,400 deaths reported on Tuesday alone.
Biden’s biggest challenge will be “winning the hearts and minds of the American people to follow his example,” said Dr. Leana Wen, an expert in public health and emergency medicine.
The vaccination rate in the US is approaching 1 million injections a day, but it would take 1.8 million a day to achieve generalized or “herd” immunity in the summer, according to a recent estimate from the American Association of Hospitals. Wen says the rate should be even higher, closer to 3 million a day.
Matt Slocum / AP
Biden has a number of major problems to deal with when he takes office next week.
Biden believes that the key to accelerating that lies not only in delivering more vaccines, but also in working closely with states and local communities to get vaccines into the arms of more people. The Trump administration provided the vaccine to states and set guidelines on who should have priority for vaccinations, but largely left it to state and local officials to organize their vaccination drives.
It is not yet clear how the new administration will address the issue of vaccine vacillation, the doubts and suspicions that prevent many people from receiving a vaccine. Polls show that it is a particular problem among African Americans.
“We will have to move heaven and earth to vaccinate more people,” Biden said.
Next Wednesday, when Biden takes office, will mark the anniversary of the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the United States.
