Biden addresses pandemic issues during 1st day in office

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• President Joe Biden’s first day in office was comprised of issuing executive orders in a bid to mitigate the coronavirus pandemic.
• Among the orders signed included mask mandate, rejoining the World Health Organization, and reestablishing the federal COVID response.
• Biden’s top initiatives were to expedite the vaccination scheme and implement a $2 trillion COVID-19 relief package.

On his first day as President of the United States on Wednesday, President Joe Biden said that he will issue a mask mandate for federal property and federal contractors, and would urge Americans to wear masks in public for at least his first 100 days in office.

Biden’s first day in office was comprised of actions he can act on his own, which include signing executive orders that would encompass various issues in a bid to halt the spread of the virus.

Some of the key executive orders Biden has signed were the following: mask mandate and challenge to Americans; returning to the World Health Organization (WHO); and reorganization of the federal COVID-19 response.

Biden’s mask mandate would require “compliance with CDC guidance on mask-wearing and physical distancing in federal buildings, on federal lands and by federal employees and contractors.” He has also called on the public in a challenge, “asking the American people to do their part ― their patriotic duty ― and mask up for 100 days.”

In returning to the WHO, Biden reversed Trump’s move to withdraw from the international agency. The US delegation will be led by Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top infectious disease expert. They will meet with the WHO’s executive within the week.

In reestablishing the federal COVID response, Biden has appointed former Obama administrator Jeff Zients to lead the team. Zients has been Biden’s COVID-19 agenda manager during the transition team.

The executive ruling also revives the Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense. It is a special response team that would be dedicated to tracking and monitoring health threats worldwide. It was established by the Obama administration in 2014 but was dissolved in 2018 by Trump. 

Since the 2020 campaign, Biden had already announced that his top priority would be mitigating the coronavirus pandemic, which has already weakened the economy and killed over 400,000 individuals nationwide.

Expediting the pace of vaccination and implementing a $2 trillion worth of economic relief aid would be among the president’s major concerns with the current situation.

The inoculation campaign will proceed as usual but efforts will be put in place to make it more efficient. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 relief package, which will take weeks to finalize, would be the Congress’ top priority.

Source: AOL.com