{"id":123491,"date":"2021-06-24T21:51:09","date_gmt":"2021-06-25T04:51:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/69.46.6.243\/?p=123491"},"modified":"2021-06-24T21:51:09","modified_gmt":"2021-06-25T04:51:09","slug":"president-biden-highlighting-the-importance-of-getting-vaccinated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=123491","title":{"rendered":"President Biden Highlighting the Importance of Getting Vaccinated"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Green Road Community Center Raleigh, NC&#8230; President Biden Highlighting the Importance of Getting Vaccinated and Kicking Off a Community Canvassing Event.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/291uKO7m6_w\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>5:33 P.M. EDT<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Raleigh.  (Applause.)  I \u2014 I\u2019m going to \u2014<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE MEMBER:  (Inaudible.)  (Laughter.)<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you!  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Love you back.  (Applause.)  Well, look, that old \u2014 I \u2014 you\u2019re \u2014 by the way, you\u2019re in the midst of the \u2014 you\u2019re in the presence of a \u2014 one hell of an individual.  I want you all to know about.  Not me.  (Laughter.)  He\u2019s always there when people need help, and he particularly focuses on people who are left behind: Reverend Barber.  (Applause.)  Thanks for all you do, Rev. <\/p>\n<p>Ive, I thank you for that introduction, you know, and for everything you\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n<p>You know, I \u2014 I think \u2014 I thank you everyone here at the Green Road Community Center for hosting us. <\/p>\n<p>Governor Cooper, my good friend.  A great governor.  But the most important thing: He\u2019s a man of enormous integrity, and \u2014 no, he really is.  (Applause.)  You\u2019re doing an incredible job; I\u2019m lucky to have you as a partner, Gov.  And as we \u2014 as we move along here. <\/p>\n<p>Look, you know, the main thing I want to do is start off with the way you should never start off.<\/p>\n<p>Are they \u2014 do you have chairs out there?  (Laughter.)  Well, if you have a chair, sit.  Don\u2019t stand for me.  (Laughter.)  I was getting the \u2014 I was getting to feel really guilty, man.  (Laughter.) <\/p>\n<p>I said that a while ago, as the press will tell you.  About a year ago, I said, \u201cWhy don\u2019t everybody sit down?\u201d  And somebody in the front said, \u201cI don\u2019t have a damn seat.  That\u2019s why.\u201d  (Laughter.)  I want to get in trouble. <\/p>\n<p>Thank you.  I thought you didn\u2019t have any seats there.  I was going to really feel guilty. <\/p>\n<p>Folks, look, it\u2019s great to be Mayor Baldwin of Raleigh and Mayor \u2014 Mayor Schewel of Durham. <\/p>\n<p>And joined by a proud native son of North Carolina: the Administrator of the EPA in Washington, D.C., Michael Regan.  (Applause.)  Where are you, Michael?  I\u2019m always worried \u2014 (applause) \u2014 I\u2019m always worried when I come back to North Carolina and Michael is with me that the governor is going to take him back.  (Laughter.)  But I need him. <\/p>\n<p>Look, folks, he\u2019s doing one heck of a job at EPA.  And if you want to talk about health, think about the environment.  Think about what\u2019s happen \u2014 being done \u2014 what we\u2019re changing at EPA.  And the \u2014 it makes a big deal.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also \u2014 it\u2019s also out there, across the state, encouraging people to get vaccinated as well. <\/p>\n<p>I wanted to come to Raleigh to thank everyone in this room for everything you\u2019re doing to get your community vaccinated.  It matters.  It matters.  You\u2019re saving lives.  That\u2019s not hyperbole. <\/p>\n<p>Let me remind everybody: We lost 600,000 dead in America in about a year.  That\u2019s more than every life lost in World War One, World War Two, the Vietnam War, Iraq, Iran, across the board \u2014 Afghanistan.  More lives lost in a year than every major war in the 20th century and the 21st century.  And guess what, folks?  There\u2019ve been lives lost all around the world. <\/p>\n<p>And, America, I might say \u2014 this is not \u2014 I didn\u2019t plan on saying this, but I\u2019m going anyway: We have an obligation in the United States of America to live up to who we are.  America is the only \u2014 is a unique nation.  We\u2019re the only nation formed based on an idea \u2014 an idea, not an ethnicity, not an ideology, not a \u2014 idea: We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men and women are created equal, et cetera. <\/p>\n<p>Well, here\u2019s the deal.  Here\u2019s the deal.  There are over 100 countries in the world that have no capacity to help themselves right now.  None. <\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s why \u2014 I got somewhat criticized, but that\u2019s why I\u2019ve worked so darn hard \u2014 after being able to nail down, in the first 100 days, over 60 [600] million doses of vaccine for Americans, I went to Europe to meet what they call the \u201cG7\u201d and then with NATO and then with the EU.  And I promised that the United States, in the remainder of this year and the first half of next year, is going to provide a billion doses to the rest of the world.  (Applause.)  A billion doses.<\/p>\n<p>Half a billion of those will be done between now and January and the first half of next year. <\/p>\n<p>The point being: I wanted the nation to reflect what you all reflect.  Everyone in this room, there\u2019s everything \u2014 you \u2014 I want to thank you for all you\u2019re doing.  But the rest of the world is in trouble as well.  We have to look out for one another.  We really do. <\/p>\n<p>And what you\u2019re doing here \u2014 going back to the United States \u2014 nonprofits directing folks to where to go; houses of worship opening on-site vaccination for congregants; my friend Reverend Barber is here, as I said, and countless faith leaders who are truly doing God\u2019s work; college students providing rides for seniors. <\/p>\n<p>So, what\u2019s happening in America is what America is all about.  That\u2019s what the rest of world is looking at: Are we what we advertise ourselves to be?  It\u2019s because of people like you, here in Raleigh and in communities across America, that we\u2019re going to win this fight. <\/p>\n<p>Look at the progress we made so far.  Today, 66 percent of all American adults have gotten at least one shot.  That includes 87 percent of all seniors of all colors; 75 percent of adults ages 40 and up have gotten a shot; and 70 percent of those age 30 and up.<\/p>\n<p>Nationwide, we\u2019re seeing the lowest number of daily cases and deaths since the first day of the pandemic.  And we\u2019ve built equity into the heart of the vaccination program.  I put together a vaccination team, headed by a really bright guy, and we put together a group of 23 doctors.  And what they did was we had one doc who does nothing but deal with equity \u2014 access for people. <\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a reason why it\u2019s been harder to get African Americans, initially, to get vaccinated: because they\u2019re used to be experimented on \u2014 the Tuskegee Airmen and others.  People have memories.  People have long memories. <\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s awful hard, as well, to get Latinx vaccinated as well.  Why?  They\u2019re worried that they\u2019ll be vaccinated and deported. <\/p>\n<p>So, look, from day one, something that Governor Cooper has been totally focused on is making sure we get as many people vaccinated, particularly people who don\u2019t have access to healthcare usually; who don\u2019t have ordinary \u2014 don\u2019t have doctors or family physicians, et cetera. <\/p>\n<p>Seventy three percent of the shots administered at community health centers through the federal program we have and more than 58 percent of the shots administered in federally-run vaccination sites have gone to people of color.  It makes a gigantic difference.<\/p>\n<p>And across the nation, people of color have accounted for more than half of all the vaccinations in the last month.  The more we close the racial gap in vaccination rates, the more lives we can save.  And if I can \u2014 (applause). <\/p>\n<p>And if I can pause for one second: That\u2019s why I\u2019ve called for spending billions of dollars at NIH focusing on new ways to deal with obesity, diabetes, Alzheimers, and cancer.  Focused just on those diseases \u2014 money that private drug companies don\u2019t have the money to invest in or the inclination to.  Because guess what?  In most Black communities across America and Hispanic communities, how many stores have fresh vegetables?  How many stores have a \u2014 I\u2019ll go down the list.  It matters.  The health condition a person enters this fight over makes a big difference as to what, in fact, is going to be able to be done. <\/p>\n<p>Here in North Carolina, my administration provided $105 million from the emergency man- \u2014 Federal Emergency Management Agency \u2014 FEMA \u2014 to help get people vaccinated.  Working with the governor and the mayors and county officials across the state, there are 240 personnel in the Tar Heel State just to put the needle in somebody\u2019s arm.<\/p>\n<p>This has been a gigantic \u2014 a gigantic logistical challenge not just in North Carolina, but all across America.  More than 660 National Guard members have supported the COVID-19 response here in North Carolina.  Over in Greensboro, we stood up the federal vaccination site that alone has administered 135,000 shots. <\/p>\n<p>The governor and I visited one of the mobile units you\u2019re deploying to meet people where they live.  And as a result of these efforts statewide, case deaths are down over 90 percent in the last five months. <\/p>\n<p>All of this is great news.  But here\u2019s the deal: For all the progress we\u2019ve made as a country, hospitalizations and deaths are down drastically in places where people are getting vaccinated.  The data couldn\u2019t be clearer: If you\u2019re vaccinated \u2014 if you\u2019re vaccinated, you\u2019re safe.  You are still at risk of getting seriously ill or dying if you, in fact, have not been vaccinated.  That\u2019s just a fact.<\/p>\n<p>And this new, dangerous variant that continues to emerge \u2014 it\u2019s now the most common variant in America and here.  And unvaccinated people are incredibly vulnerable.  This is a serious concern with what experts call the \u201cDelta\u201d variant.  It is not only \u2014 according to the CDC, between 10 to 20 percent of all cases in the last two weeks have been the Delta variant.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Fauci has made it clear \u2014 he and my wife have been traveling the country to make this case \u2014 that it\u2019s more easily transmittable, this Delta variant, potentially deadlier, and especially dangerous for young people \u2014 for young people.  He says its the greatest threat to our fight to beat COVID-19.<\/p>\n<p>But the good news is, we have a solution.  The science is clear.  The best way to protect yourself against the virus and its variants is to be fully vaccinated.  It works.  It\u2019s free.  It\u2019s safe.  It\u2019s easy.  It\u2019s convenient. <\/p>\n<p>Over 150 million Americans have gotten fully vaccinated and they\u2019re safe and protected now, including against the Delta variant.  They\u2019re getting back to living their lives and spending time with their loved ones.  But we need more people to get fully vaccinated to finish the job.  That\u2019s why I\u2019m here. <\/p>\n<p>I called for June to be the \u201cMonth of Action\u201d to get folks vaccinated so we can all enjoy a Fourth of July with our independence from the virus \u2014 from the virus.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re already vaccinated, make sure your family and friends are vaccinated.  Help them make a plan to get vaccinated. <\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019ve gotten your first shot, make sure you get your second one to be fully protected.  (Applause.)  It\u2019s a big deal.<\/p>\n<p>And if you\u2019re not vaccinated, don\u2019t put it off any longer. Just do it.  Just do it.  (Applause.)  And it\u2019s never been easier.  It\u2019s never been easier to do it. <\/p>\n<p>Text your Zip Code to 438829 \u2014 438829.  And, immediately, it will pop to find the vaccination sites closest to you.  And hardly anyone is beyond five miles from a potential site. <\/p>\n<p>Get a free ride to and from your vaccination sites.  I want to publicly thank \u2014 when I asked for help, both Lyft or Uber said between the time \u2014 this last month to July 4th, they\u2019ll provide a ride free to and from.  They\u2019ll wait and take you back home.  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>Thousands of pharmacies are offering no-appointment, walk-in vaccinations.  More than 1,400 pharmacies are in North Carolina that do that.  They\u2019ve already administered over 2.2 million shots \u2014 these pharmacies.  Many of them are open 24 hours on Fridays. <\/p>\n<p>So, go tomorrow if you\u2019ve not gotten it done.  Or when you\u2019re going out, knocking on doors, tell them, \u201cTomorrow, 24 hours, a majority of these drugstores are open.\u201d  Get it done.  Get it done.  And they get it done at their convenience.<\/p>\n<p>And if you still have questions, that\u2019s okay.  Talk to people who you know who have gotten the shot.  That\u2019s what you guys are out there \u2014 going to be doing, knocking on doors.  Talk to your doctor or your health provider.  If you don\u2019t have one, physicians know it\u2019s the right choice to get vaccinated to protect themselves, their patients, and their communities. <\/p>\n<p>And listen to North Carolina\u2019s own Dr. Kizzy Corbett, you know, from Hurdle Mills, just about an hour north from here.  She\u2019s a scientist at NIH that I met several weeks ago who helped develop the COVID-19 vaccine \u2014 (applause) \u2014 a vaccine that was developed after decades of research under Republican and Democratic administrations. <\/p>\n<p>As I said, I met her earlier this year during a tour of the NIH Vaccine Research Center where this all happened.  She\u2019s incredible. <\/p>\n<p>Folks, there is no reason to leave yourself vulnerable to the deadly virus for one single day more.  And as they say in my church, I\u2019m preaching to the choir, I know.  (Laughter.)  But the television is recording this.  (Laughter.) <\/p>\n<p>Make the case.  Let people know getting vaccinated is not only maybe going to save their lives, but save their mother, their father, their child, their son, their daughter, their coworker. <\/p>\n<p>So, please, please get vaccinated.  And let\u2019s everyone do our part.  Let\u2019s everyone do it. <\/p>\n<p>This weekend, we will be hosting another nationwide canvassing event where volunteers like you are going to knock on doors and talk to their friends and neighbors and help finish the job of getting America vaccinated. <\/p>\n<p>This weekend, we\u2019ll be hosting another nationwide canvassing event where volunteers like you are going to knock on doors and talk to friends and neighbors to help finish the job of getting America vaccinated.<\/p>\n<p>To join that effort, I say to the people watching this \u2013because these people have already joined the effort: To join that effort, please visit WeCanDoThis.HHS.governor [sic] \u2014 .gov, excuse me \u2014 WeCanDoThis.HHS.gov.  Sign up.  Get involved.<\/p>\n<p>We can do this.  We really can do this. <\/p>\n<p>Let me close where I began.  To all of you here today who are about to head out and canvass your communities: Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  I genuinely mean it. <\/p>\n<p>But just listen, again, to Ive \u2014 graduated from Apex Friendship High, just finished her first year in school.  She\u2019s been spending her summer doing door-to-door \u2014 going door to help get people vaccinated to stay safe.<\/p>\n<p>And I\u2019ll bet what she had to say, when asked, is what a lot of you think as well.  She said, quote \u2014 I hope you don\u2019t mind my repeating this, Ive \u2014 but she said, quote, \u201cReaching out and giving back to the community is everything.  I like to say\u2026I don\u2019t dream of having a dream job or a dream career, but I dream of truly helping people in the best way I can\u2026that\u2019s my life goal.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This can be among one of the most important things you do. I really mean it.  And again, remember \u2014 I think you\u2019re probably the least ones that have to remember \u2014 remember: 600,000-plus Americans have died.  Six hundred thousand-plus Americans have died. <\/p>\n<p>This Delta variant \u2014 you know there\u2019s going to be others as well.  You know what\u2019s going to happen.  We\u2019ve got to get our young people vaccinated.  <\/p>\n<p>So, talk to those moms when you knock on the door.  Tell them about \u2014 tell them about why it\u2019s so important to get their children. <\/p>\n<p>You may remember, I got widely criticized when I suggested we keep dropping the age of people eligible for vaccinations.  It\u2019s been based on the science.  I didn\u2019t do anything based on a whim.  The science, the tests show that. <\/p>\n<p>And what\u2019s going to happen here, I predict, as soon as we go from temporary approval to permanent approval \u2014 which just takes time; it\u2019s not that its (inaudible) is there \u2014 it\u2019s going to increase the number of people willing to move as well. <\/p>\n<p>So, Ive, thank you for representing the best of us.  Thank all of you for representing the best of us.  You\u2019ve all got the whole world in front of you.  And, you know, it\u2019s because of \u2014 it\u2019s because of people like Ive and all of you why I have so much faith in the future. <\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m not being \u2014 you know, if you notice, I\u2019ve been unfairly criticized for being optimistic.  I\u2019ve been fairly criticized because I think we can actually pull people together.  I ran \u2014 when I ran for President, I ran for three reasons.  I said, one, is restore the soul of America \u2014 just basic decency, looking out for one another.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>And, two, because we had to rebuild the backbone of this country that had been so damaged, which is the middle class \u2014 (applause) \u2014 working-class folks and middle-class folks.  It was about time to build the economy from the middle up and out and from the middle class up.  That\u2019s what we have to do.<\/p>\n<p>Folks, let\u2019s really let this be the summer of joy and freedom.  Let it really happen.  Let\u2019s celebrate the Fourth of July with the independence from the virus.  We can get this done.  We \u2014 no, we really can get this done, and we really can do it. <\/p>\n<p>But you know what?  I said the third reason I was running was to unify the country.  (Applause.)  Well, folks, it\u2019s never been as divided as it is today \u2014 never been as divided as it is today, since the Civil War. <\/p>\n<p>And, folks, it\u2019s such a waste of talent, such a waste of time.  And the rest of the world is looking at us.  The rest of the world is wondering whether or not can we really lead the world again.  The last four years have been devastating to our leadership around the world.  (Applause.)  I\u2019m not making \u2014 but it\u2019s true. <\/p>\n<p>But here\u2019s the way we lead: Like you always lead \u2014 those who lead better than I and others \u2014 you lead by example, and the example is twofold.  And I\u2019ll end with this.  One is making sure we do everything in our power to walk that extra mile, to knock on that door, to pick up the phone, to actually pull up in your own vehicle and take someone who needs to get to a vaccination site.  Convince them.  Let them know why it\u2019s so important.  Let them know.  Because people \u2014 people respond to individual relationships, even new ones.  \u201cI got it.  My brother got it.  My sister got it.  I took my daughter, and she got it,\u201d et cetera. <\/p>\n<p>And secondly, let the world know that when it comes down to lifesaving initiatives, no matter where they are \u2014 but they come from us \u2014 we should share them with the world \u2014 the whole world.  We\u2019re even giving some of these vaccines to nations that are not our friends because the people are not the ones who are not our friends \u2014 the leadership. <\/p>\n<p>So, folks, there\u2019s a lot we can do.  As I said, I have faith in your generation.  The reason I\u2019m so optimistic is because you\u2019re the most incredible generation in American history.  I\u2019m not being solicitous.  Number one, you\u2019re the least prejudiced generation in history, number one.  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>Number two, you volunteer than most \u2014 any other generation, including my vaulted generation of the \u201960s.  (Laughter.)  You \u2014 no, I mean it.  We are proud of what we did, but you volunteer. <\/p>\n<p>Number three, you\u2019re the best-educated generation in the history of America.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>And I believe our dealing with equity is only the beginning as it relates to vaccine.  The first executive order I signed was insisting that every one of my Cabinet members focus on racial equity \u2014 (applause) \u2014 because we have a \u2014 we have a chance \u2014 we have a chance to make significant change in this country, and it\u2019s going to come from what you guys do.  I really mean it.  I can\u2019t thank you enough. <\/p>\n<p>Sorry to take so much of your time, but God bless you all.  And may God protect our troops.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>5:57 P.M. EDT<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Green Road Community Center Raleigh, NC&#8230; President Biden Highlighting the Importance of Getting Vaccinated and Kicking Off a Community Canvassing Event. 5:33 P.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Raleigh. (Applause.) I \u2014 I\u2019m going to \u2014 AUDIENCE MEMBER: (Inaudible.) (Laughter.) AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love you! (Applause.) THE PRESIDENT: Love you back. (Applause.) Well, look, that old [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1599,"featured_media":13330,"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":[20,5,33,4,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-123491","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-government","category-health-fitness","category-life-style","category-news","last_archivepost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/whitehouselogo200.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123491","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\/1599"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=123491"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123491\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13330"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=123491"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=123491"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=123491"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}