As President Joe Biden celebrated the nation’s progress in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, he and Jill Biden hosted the largest party at the White House to mark the July Fourth holiday.
In remarks outside the White House, the President stated that “Today all across this country we can say with confidence America’s coming back together.” “245 years ago we declared our independence from an unknown king. We are now closer than ever to declaring independence from a deadly disease.
Biden stated that the United States is now seeing the “results of unity of purpose.”
“Together we can beat the virus. Our economy is thriving because of our collective efforts. We can save our people from despair and division together. We must all do it together. He said that we have been through some of the darkest times in our lives over the past year. “Now, I believe — I swear by Biden — I believe that we are on the verge of our brightest day. This is a unique nation, Folks.
Five months into their tenure, more than 1000 people were expected to attend the Fourth of July celebrations on the South Lawn. The culmination was fireworks at the National Mall.
Most of those invited were military families and essential workers. They could bring their family, as a token of appreciation to the service personnel and those who helped keep the country running during the worst days of the pandemic.
However, the celebrations come at a time federal officials are warning about the Delta variant of the disease and doubling down on protecting the rest of the US population.
According to Jen Psaki, White House press secretary Jen Psaki, everyone who attended Sunday’s event was asked to be tested for Covid-19 and to wear masks if necessary.
Also Read: Biden: The latest cyberattack by the US government is not yet known
Psaki stated that all attendees were given guidance about how to get Covid-19 testing one to three days before the event. She stated that those who have been fully vaccinated can abide by the public health guidelines and don’t need to wear masks.
was told by a White House official that there are concerns about the party’s optics now that the Delta variant has made its way through vulnerable populations in the United States.
“Do you wish that we could do this after having eradicated Covid?” The official said yes, adding that there had never been any discussion about ending the party. “We’re moving forward — with this event and with the initiatives with trying to get people vaccinated. It’s all of it.
Jeffrey Zients, White House Covid-19 Response Coordinator, defended Sunday’s White House decision to not require that attendees to the first big bash be vaccinated.
Zients stated that “I believe most of these people are vaccinated,” to Dana Bash, on “State of the Union”. “But, in the end, it’s an individual decision, so we hope that all individuals make the right decision here and get vaccinated as quickly as possible.”
The White House announced last week that they would deploy response teams consisting of representatives from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Department of Health and Human Services to areas where the Delta variant is high. These teams will perform surge testing, administer monoclonal antibody therapies and deploy federal personnel in areas where they are needed for vaccinations.
Officials from the White House recently admitted that the nation will not meet Biden’s July 4th Covid-19 vaccination goals. They also said that there is still much work to be done to get the younger Americans vaccinated. The President had set a goal to ensure that at least 70% of Americans have received at least one Covid-19 shot and that 160 million Americans are fully vaccinated by July 4. The CDC reports that 67% of Americans had received at least one vaccine shot as of Friday, the Friday before the holiday weekend.
“Today, science has the power to change our lives. We have the upper hand in fighting this virus thanks to our heroic vaccine efforts. We can live the life we want. Our children can return to school. Biden stated Sunday that the economy is “roaring back”.
Covid-19 is not dead, but I don’t think it has been defeated. As we all know, there have been powerful variants like the Delta variant. These variants are best avoided by getting vaccinated. He said, “My fellow Americans, it is the most patriotic thing that you can do.”
“Please, get vaccinated if you aren’t already. Do it now. Do it immediately. Do it now for yourself, your family, your community, your country, and your country.
Zients stated last week to reporters that he expected the US to reach the vaccination goal within weeks. On Sunday, he also said that the federal government would continue making vaccines more easily available for the public to increase their numbers.
“Well, we made some progress. When Bash asked Zients why the administration failed, he replied that he believed we are much farther along than anyone could have expected.
Sunday’s party was much bigger than was originally expected. Biden stated in March that he was optimistic that Americans would be able to gather with their family and friends to celebrate July 4th. As more Americans were vaccinated, more people will have the opportunity to do so. The national vaccination campaign has removed Covid-19 restrictions across the country. The CDC has stated that Americans who have been fully vaccinated are not required to wear masks indoors and outdoors.
was told by a White House official that there will be food stations that serve American favorites like hot dogs, hamburgers, and chicken. According to one source familiar with the plans, the decorations will be more prominent than any other Biden White House proposals so far. The White House has asked outside companies to help — something that the Trump and Obama administrations did for large-scale events.
The White House theme for the holiday weekend was “America’s back Together”, which promotes the idea that a lot of Americans are returning to pre-pandemic life as Americans get vaccinated. On Saturday, the President visited Traverse City in Michigan to celebrate progress and to highlight the administration’s pandemic response.
As part of weekend celebrations, the first lady, Vice President Kamala Harris, and the second gentleman Doug Emhoff took Friday and Saturday trips. Biden’s Cabinet will be traveling across the country to visit more than a dozen states, attend roundtables and play baseball, and visit fire stations and festivals, cookouts, and other events.
“It’s never been a good idea to place a bet against America.” Never! Biden concluded his remarks Sunday night.
“We only need to remember who and what we are. We are the United States of America. We can do anything together.
Also Read: Pope Francis in Rome emergency hospital for intestinal surgery