WASHINGTON — With Covid cases rising in several states, President Joe Biden urged governors and local leaders to reinstate their mask mandates orders, while condemning “reckless behavior” likely to spur more infections.
Biden said he completely supports the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, who said on Monday the U.S. is facing an “impending doom” as Covid cases begin to rise once again.
“I’m going to pause here, I’m going to lose the script, and I’m going to reflect on the recurring feeling I have of impending doom,” Walensky told reporters. “We have so much to look forward to, so much promise and potential of where we are and so much reason for hope, but right now I’m scared.”
The United States has averaged 63,239 new Covid-19 cases with increases going over 16 percent.
“Our work is far from over. The war against Covid-19 is far from won,” Biden said on Monday. “This is deadly serious.”
Despite cases rising, some governors have opted to lift restrictions in restaurants and gyms in Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama.
“We’re making progress on vaccinations, but cases are rising and the virus is spreading in too many places still,” Biden said. “Please. This is not politics. Reinstate the mandate if you let it down.”
The President announced that 90 percent of adults in the United States will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by mid-April and will be able to get them within five miles of their home.
Last week, Biden announced a new coronavirus vaccine goal of 200 million vaccine doses in his first 100 days in office. He had cleared his earlier goal of 100 million shots on day 58 of his presidency.
As of Monday afternoon, 549,600 Americans have died from Covid-19, according to Johns Hopkins University. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 145,800,000 Covid-19 doses have been administered.
