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US President-elect Joe Biden said in a speech to the American people that he wants to end the politicization of wearing a face mask. -It is not a political position, it saves lives, he says.
Unlike the outgoing administration, where both President Donald Trump and various staff members have repeatedly refused to wear masks, Biden’s message is clear.
– We are still facing a dark winter and much work remains to be done before a vaccine is ready. We are now in the worst wave with more than 120,000 cases several days in a row. The death toll, the number of hospitalizations and the number of infections are increasing. We risk losing 200,000 lives before a vaccine is ready, he says.
– That is why we must unite as one country, as working Americans. We know that the most effective thing we can do is wear a bandage. It is the most powerful weapon we have against the virus, says Biden.
He says it doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or a Republican, and emphasizes that it’s about saving lives.
– Wearing a mask is not marking a political position. The goal is not to make your life less comfortable or to take away your freedom. It’s about doing a little thing to be able to give something back to everyone: a normal life. The goal is to get back to normal, says Biden.
CLEAR SPEECH: Joe Biden during the press conference on Monday afternoon Norwegian time. Photo: JOE RAEDLE / AFP
It will put America in the driver’s seat again
Unlike his predecessor, Biden also clearly states that he supports global work to tackle the pandemic. As a candidate, Biden promised to restart relations with the WHO (World Health Organization) after Trump formally launched the process of withdrawing the United States from cooperation in July.
BACKGROUND: Trump: The United States breaks with the WHO.
Biden says he wants to make sure the United States is back in the driver’s seat of the world’s efforts against coronavirus.
– We know that we will not kill this virus until it has been eliminated everywhere. That is why we want to restore American leadership internationally in the fight against the virus. We must work together for global health security, says Biden.
Earlier Thursday, he introduced members of the new corona team who will contribute to the management of the pandemic. Biden hopes they can begin their work now and until he formally takes office as president on January 20.
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– These are renowned health experts, who will translate our corona plan into action and make sure we have a tool that we can implement when the government takes office in January, says Biden.
– The objective is that the plans are based on science. We have to follow the science and adapt when new data comes in. And we’ll also talk to local leaders and governors across the country for inspiration. An incredible amount of good work is being done here, he says.
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Good news about the vaccine
Biden also commented on the good news on the vaccine front that arrived early Monday. The pharmaceutical company Pfizer and the biotech company BioNTech believe their vaccine candidate is more than 90 percent effective against the coronavirus.
– Work is progressing on creating a vaccine that works. But it has yet to go through approval so Americans can have confidence that it is safe and effective, Biden says.
– I would also like to emphasize that even when the vaccine is approved, it will take time before it is available to most people, says Biden.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration plans to double the number of rapid tests, mobilize enough people to secure an infection-tracking team of 100,000, and increase production of masks and other protective gear.
– We also know that minority groups are the most affected by this virus. We promise to prioritize this group, along with older Americans and those at risk. We will turn every stone to tackle this pandemic and turn this around, says Biden.
