{"id":118874,"date":"2021-04-27T16:44:53","date_gmt":"2021-04-27T23:44:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/69.46.6.243\/?p=118874"},"modified":"2021-04-27T16:44:53","modified_gmt":"2021-04-27T23:44:53","slug":"president-biden-on-covid-response-relaxed-mask-mandates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=118874","title":{"rendered":"President Biden on Covid Response &#038; Relaxed Mask Mandates"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Good afternoon \u2014 this beautiful afternoon.  Next week, I\u2019ll be laying out the path ahead to continue our fight against COVID-19 to get us to July 4th.  This is our target date to get life in America closer to normal and to begin to celebrate our independence from the virus together with our friends and loved ones as we \u2014 to celebrate Independence Day.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6_fi6t4i65M\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>But before that, I wanted to speak briefly to all of you today about the recent change announced by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention \u2014 the CDC.<\/p>\n<p>Let me say first: While we still have a long way to go in this fight and a lot of work to do in May and June to get us to July 4th, we\u2019ve have made stunning progress because of all of you, the American people.  Cases and deaths are down \u2014 down dramatically from where they were when I took office on January 20th, and continuing to fall.<\/p>\n<p>That is particularly true for a group of Americans that we were most worried about when it came to this virus: senior citizens.  When I took office in January, we were losing literally tens of thousands of our seniors each week.  Grandparents who were loved so dearly, moms and dads, pillars of every community \u2014 gone by the thousands every day.  At that time, less than 1 percent of seniors were fully vaccinated when I took office. <\/p>\n<p>Today, in less than 100 days, more than 67 percent \u2014 two thirds of our seniors \u2014 are now fully vaccinated and more than 80 percent of seniors have had at least one shot.  That effort has resulted in a drop of 80 percent in deaths among American seniors, a 70 percent drop in hospitalizations.<\/p>\n<p>So instead of losing thousands of seniors each day, we\u2019re saving thousands of lives, and more and more as each day goes by.<\/p>\n<p>And, by the way, based on reported data, the proportion \u2014 the proportion of seniors who have been vaccinated is essentially equal between white and seniors of color.<\/p>\n<p>I said from the beginning that we were \u2014 we\u2019re going to fight this virus with equity \u2014 equity for all.  As a matter of a fact, if I\u2019m not mistaken, there are more Latinos and African American seniors that have been vaccinated, as a percentage, than white seniors.  These numbers are a sign of progress on that front as well.<\/p>\n<p>Now, last week, I announced that we had crossed the threshold of 200 million shots.  We\u2019ve now \u2014 since Inauguration Day, we have given 215 million shots.  And that \u2014 anyone 16 years of age or older is now eligible to get the vaccine \u2014 now, today, immediately. <\/p>\n<p>And because of the extraordinary progress we\u2019ve made in fighting this virus and the progress our scientists have made in learning about how it gets transmitted, earlier today, the CDC made an important announcement: Starting today, if you\u2019re fully vaccinated, and you\u2019re outdoors, you need \u2014 and not in a big crowd \u2014 you no longer need to wear a mask.<\/p>\n<p>I want to be absolutely clear: If you\u2019re in a crowd, like a stadium or at a conference or a concert, you still need to wear a mask even if you\u2019re outside.  But beginning today, gathering with a group of friends in a park, going for a picnic \u2014 as long as you are vaccinated and outdoors \u2014 you can do it without a mask.<\/p>\n<p>The CDC is able to make this announcement because our scientists are convinced by the data that the odds of getting or giving the virus to others is very, very low if you\u2019re \u2014 both been fully vaccinated and out the open air.<\/p>\n<p>The CDC also have clarified which outdoor activities are safer or less safe, depending on whether you\u2019ve been vaccinated.  The bottom line is clear: If you\u2019re vaccinated, you can do more things, more safely, both outdoors as well as indoors. <\/p>\n<p>For \u2014 so for those who haven\u2019t gotten their vaccination yet, especially if you\u2019re younger or thinking you don\u2019t need it, this is another great reason to go get vaccinated now \u2014 now.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, the vaccines are about saving your life, but also the lives of the people around you.  But they\u2019re also about helping to get us get back to closer to normal in our living \u2014 more normal living \u2014 getting together with friends, going to the park for a picnic without needing to mask up.  We\u2019re back to that place now as long as you get vaccinated. <\/p>\n<p>So, go get this shot.  It\u2019s never been easier.  And once you\u2019re fully vaccinated, you can go without a mask when you\u2019re outside and away from big crowds.<\/p>\n<p>I want to thank the team at the CDC for everything they\u2019re doing to help us lead with science and bring our communities out of this crisis safely and responsibly.<\/p>\n<p>And I also want to thank everyone who has gotten the vaccine for doing your patriotic duty and helping us get on the path to Independence Day, which I\u2019ll be discussing more in detail next week.<\/p>\n<p>In the meantime, I urge all Americans: Don\u2019t let up now.  Keep following the guidance.  Go get your vaccination now.  It\u2019s free and it\u2019s convenient.<\/p>\n<p>Ninety percent of the American people live within five miles of a site where you can get a vaccination.  You can do this, and we will do this.<\/p>\n<p>Thank you all.  And God bless you.  And as much as the temptation is to stay outdoors on this beautiful day, I\u2019ve got more work to do. <\/p>\n<p>Thank you all very, very much.  Bye-bye.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Mr. President, if the risk is so low outdoors, why doesn\u2019t it apply to everybody?<\/p>\n<p>Q    Mr. President, would you have any preconditions for a meeting with Vlad- \u2014 wait, would you have any preconditions before meeting with Vladimir Putin?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  I \u2014 one at a time.<\/p>\n<p>Q    If the risk is so low outdoors, why doesn\u2019t this new guidance apply to everybody?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Because the science indicates that this is the most certain way to make sure it doesn\u2019t spread: if both people have been vaccinated \u2014 the people you\u2019re with \u2014 and you\u2019re outside.<\/p>\n<p>Q    And you chose to wear a mask.  Sir, you chose to wear a mask.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Do you have any preconditions before meeting with Vladimir \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    You chose to wear a mask as you walked out here.  What message were you sending by wearing a mask outside alone?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  By watching me take it off and not put it back on until I get inside. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Do you have any preconditions before meeting with Vladimir Putin?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  I\u2019ll discuss that all another day. Thank you.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Sir, India \u2014 India needs medicine.  India needs AstraZeneca.  Sir, will you make it faster to get \u2014 for them to get the vaccine \u2014 the vaccines we will get soon?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  You said India?<\/p>\n<p>Q    India.  They\u2019re suffering at this moment.<\/p>\n<p>Q    What do you say to the folks in India?<\/p>\n<p>Q    Will you make it \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Look, I\u2019m sorry.  I\u2019m going to \u2014 this is the last question I\u2019ll take, and I\u2019ve ha- \u2014 I\u2019m really going to be in trouble. <\/p>\n<p>With regard to India, I spoke at length with Modi, the Prime Minister.  We are sending immediately a whole series of help that he needs, including providing for those \u2014 remdesivir and other drugs that are able to deal with this and prevent, in some cases, but recover \u2014 help recovery. <\/p>\n<p>Secondly, we are sending the actual mechanical parts that are needed for the machinery they have to build a vaccine.  And that\u2019s being done as well. <\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re also discussing \u2014 I\u2019ve discussed with him when we\u2019ll be able to send actual vaccines to India, which would be my intention to do.  The problem is, right now, we have to make sure we have other vaccines, like Novavax and others, coming on, probably.  And I think we\u2019ll be in a position to be able to share \u2014 to share vaccines, as well as know-how, with other countries who are in real need.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s the hope and expectation. <\/p>\n<p>And I might add, when we were in a bind at the very beginning, India helped us. <\/p>\n<p>Thank you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Good afternoon \u2014 this beautiful afternoon. Next week, I\u2019ll be laying out the path ahead to continue our fight against COVID-19 to get us to July 4th. This is our target date to get life in America closer to normal and to begin to celebrate our independence from the virus together with our friends [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":118875,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,5,33,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-118874","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-government","category-health-fitness","category-news","last_archivepost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Fullscreen-capture-4272021-44030-PM.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118874","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=118874"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118874\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/118875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=118874"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=118874"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=118874"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}