Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

A look at new steps Biden team launching to fight virus

The White House says President Joe Biden will take a series of new steps to combat the coronavirus, hoping to get the country closer to normal by July 4

Via AP news wire
Friday 12 March 2021 00:34 GMT
Biden
Biden (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The White House says President Joe Biden is taking a series of new steps to combat the coronavirus, hoping to get the country closer to normal by July 4. The administration will:

— Direct states to make all American adults eligible for vaccinations by May 1.

— Deliver vaccines directly to up to an additional 700 community health centers that reach underserved communities, increasing the total number of participating centers to 950.

— Double the number of pharmacies in the federal pharmacy program to more than 20,000.

— Expand mobile operations in hard-hit communities.

— More than double the number of federally run mass vaccination centers.

— Deploy an additional 4,000 active-duty troops to support vaccination efforts, bringing the total to over 6,000.

— Expand the pool of people able to administer shots to include dentists, certain emergency medical technicians, midwives, optometrists, paramedics, physician assistants and others.

— Launch a new federally supported Find a Vaccination website by May 1.

— Launch a call center by May 1 to help people find vaccinations.

— Deploy technology teams to states that need help improving their websites.

— Direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue additional guidance on what people can do after being fully vaccinated, addressing travel, gatherings, work and houses of worship.

— Supply federal financing to help expand testing in schools.

— Have the Department of Education host a national Safe School Reopening Summit this month.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in