President Biden stands during a performance of the national anthem, during a virtual Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service in the State Dinning Room of the White House on Thursday. Alex Brandon / AP
Coronavirus Roundup: Biden Launches Aggressive Pandemic Plans
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
On his first full day as president, President Biden will sign more executive orders aimed at combating the coronavirus pandemic. Thursday marks one year since the first confirmed case of coronavirus in the United States. Since then there have been over 24.5 million cases and over 400,000 deaths in the country, according to Johns Hopkins University’s data. Here are some of the other recent headlines you might have missed.
On Thursday morning, the White House released its national strategy for the COVID response and pandemic preparedness. The main goals are: restoring trust with Americans; mounting an effective vaccination campaign; mitigating the spread of COVID through publishing public health recommendations; expanding emergency relief; using the Defense Production Act; reopening schools, businesses and travel safely; protecting those at high-risk; restoring the country’s leadership worldwide; and preparing for future threats.
Outgoing Vice President Mike Pence gave the Biden administration a report on his coronavirus task force, but it doesn’t address many controversies in the Trump administration's response, The Hill reported on Wednesday. “Instead, it highlights various accomplishments surrounding the production of personal protective equipment and the rapid development of a vaccine,” said the report. “And it does little to reckon with the dire situation the Biden administration now inherits.”
The Government Accountability Office published a blog outlining its resources for the new administration on tackling some of the country’s most pressing challenges. The watchdog has a specific page dedicated to the pandemic.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki outlined the public health precautions for White House staff during her first briefing on Wednesday evening. There will be “daily testing when we’re in the White House” and everyone will be “wearing N95 masks,” she said. There are also “stringent rules about social distancing and abiding by that in the building that keeps us safe...Also, the president has asked us to also be models to the American people, and that’s vitally important to us as well.”
Biden dissolved his transition coronavirus advisory board on Wednesday, Stat News reported. “But its members aren’t going far: Its three co-chairs have already been tapped for formal Biden administration roles,” said the report. “Many of those who haven’t accepted government jobs plan to continue meeting on their own, essentially forming a shadow advisory committee outside the auspices of the White House.”
Biden signed an executive order on Wednesday rejoining the World Health Organization. Trump had started the withdrawal process in July. “The United States will work constructively with partners to strengthen and importantly reform the WHO, to help lead the collective effort to strengthen the international COVID-19 response and address its secondary impacts on people, communities, and health systems around the world,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and Biden’s chief medical adviser, said before the WHO executive board meeting on Thursday. “The Biden administration also intends to be fully engaged in advancing global health, supporting global health security and the global health security agenda, and building a healthier future for all people.”
The Defense Department inspector general reported on Tuesday that the department paid “fair and reasonable prices” for 19 of 23 contracts (totaling $4.1 million) for coronavirus equipment and supplies from April 2020 to November 2020. “Given the impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic on commercially available supplies, contracting personnel took necessary actions to procure the urgently needed items, even though the DoD did not pay fair and reasonable prices for some items,” said the IG. “Therefore, we did not make any recommendations.”
Upcoming: White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki will hold a press briefing at 4 p.m.
Today’s GovExec Daily podcast episode is about Biden’s inauguration and his day one actions.
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