President Biden’s response to the coronavirus will be at the forefront during today’s trial.
The White House is blunting and preparing for a potential fourth coronavirus boom as more transmissible coronavirus variants spread across the US – to invest billions of dollars to clear coronavirus, speed up vaccinations and to prepare the public and governors for the prospect of another upsurge.
In the first place, the White House is drawing up plans to rush vaccines to emerging hotspots in an effort to blunt the virus’ path and protect those at greatest risk, two administration officials told CNN .
While the number of daily cases of coronavirus continues to decline and more than 2 million Americans are now being vaccinated daily, the White House Covid-19 response team has prepared for the worst.
Officials looked through the data to map out the virus’ trajectory, map out different scenarios and draw up plans for how the federal government would act.
“Everything we do is with the thought in mind that there could be another boom,” a senior administration official said, summarizing the administration’s efforts to fight the virus and preparing for a boom.
The focus has increased over the past few weeks as the decline in new day-to-day business has slowed to a worryingly high level.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believes that the more transmissible B.1.1.7 variant, first identified in the UK, will be the dominant strain within a few weeks. There are also concerns about governors and local officials who are prematurely easing health restrictions in a number of states.
A fourth boom would be the first on President Biden’s watch and an important test for the new government. And while there are still restrictions – including the skewed authority of government officials and local officials over the federal government in implementing public health restrictions – half a dozen Biden administration officials told CNN they believe the federal government is better prepared as ever before to handle a boom.
Read more about Biden’s coronavirus response here.