COVID-19 policy of the Joe Biden administration

The COVID-19 policy of the Joe Biden administration is predicted to mitigate the public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

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Background
See also: COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, and U.S. federal government response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Domestic response

National Strategy

On January 21, 2021, the administration released a 200-page document titled "National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness."[1][2]

Masks

On January 20, 2021, his first day as president, with the goal of containing coronavirus, Biden implemented a federal mask mandate, requiring the use of masks and social distancing in all federal buildings, on federal lands, and by federal employees and contractors.[3][4][5] Biden also signed an order on January 21, 2021 that directed FEMA to offer full reimbursements to states for the cost of using their own National Guard personnel and emergency supplies such as Personal Protective Equipment in schools.[6][7]

Testing

On January 21, 2021, Biden issued two executive orders, one on the importance of addressing systemic racism and health disparities plaguing underserved communities, and the second on establishing a unified testing strategy across the United States.[6][8] The first order calls for a COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force to be established through the Department of Health and Human Services. It will include government and non-government officials to ensure an "equitable" pandemic response and recovery. The second order calls for a National Pandemic Testing Board to be established to improve US coronavirus testing capacity.

Therapeutics

On January 21, 2021, Biden signed an executive order to increase access to healthcare and therapeutics for COVID-19.[9][10]

Vaccines

On January 21, 2021, Biden enacted the Defense Production Act, allowing the President to direct the manufacturing of critical goods, ensuring the availability of glass vials, and syringes at the federal level.[11][12] In justifying his use of the act, Biden said, "And when I say wartime, people kind of look at me like 'wartime?' Well, as I said last night, 400,000 Americans have died. That's more than have died in all of World War II. 400,000. This is a wartime undertaking."[13] On January 21, 2021, Biden signed 10 executive orders pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic.[14] In order to meet his vaccination goal of 100 million shots in his first 100 days in office, Biden signed an executive order increasing supplies for vaccination, testing and personal protective equipment.[6][15]

Data sharing

On January 21, 2021, Biden also issued an executive order to enhance the collection and collaboration of COVID-19-related data.[2][16] The order states that official representatives from the following executive departments and agencies work with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator:[17] the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Education, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Director of National Intelligence, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Director of the National Science Foundation.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention supports the federal government by providing public health guidelines and controlling data management at the local, state, and national levels.[18]

Economy

On January 22, 2021, Biden released an executive order addressing the economic crisis due to COVID-19.[19]

International response

Global and multilateral epidemic response and prevention
See also: Foreign policy of the Joe Biden administration § WHO & epidemic response and prevention

Biden signed an executive order that stopped the United States' withdrawal from the WHO making Dr. Anthony Fauci the head of the delegation to the WHO.[4]

Travel bans

Biden reinstated the Trump administration's travel bans on several parts of the world, including the Schengen Area, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Brazil. He also added South Africa to the list of countries on January 25, 2021.[20] These were scheduled to expire on Jan. 26th. The bans on entry by mainland Chinese and Iranian nationals were not scheduled to expire by Trump, and they remain in place.[21]

References
  1. Stolberg, Sheryl Gay (January 21, 2021). "Live Updates: Biden Set to Unveil Covid Response Plan". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  2. Biden, Joseph R. (January 21, 2021). "National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness" (PDF). The White House. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  3. Biden, Joseph R. "Executive Order on Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing". White House. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  4. Bradner, Eric; Klein, Betsy (January 20, 2021). "Biden targets Trump's legacy with first-day executive actions". CNN. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  5. "Biden's first act: Orders on pandemic, climate, immigration". Associated Press. January 20, 2021.
  6. Klein, Betsy; Stracqualursi, Veronica; Sullivan, Kate. "Biden unveils Covid-19 plan based on 'science not politics' as he signs new initiatives". CNN. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  7. Stolberg, Sheryl Gay (January 21, 2021). "Biden Unveils a National Pandemic Response That Trump Resisted". New York Times. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  8. "Executive Order on Establishing the COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board and Ensuring a Sustainable Public Health Workforce for COVID-19 and Other Biological Threats". The White House. January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  9. CNN, Betsy Klein, Veronica Stracqualursi and Kate Sullivan. "Biden unveils Covid-19 plan based on 'science not politics' as he signs new initiatives". CNN. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  10. "Executive Order on Improving and Expanding Access to Care and Treatments for COVID-19". The White House. January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  11. "Biden's COVID-19 plan: Masks, testing, more vaccine supplies". Associated Press. January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  12. "Biden signs executive orders on COVID-19 response, authorizes broader use of Defense Production Act to speed vaccine". The Philadelphia Inquirer. January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  13. Vogt, Adrienne (January 21, 2021). "Biden on Covid-19 plan: "This is a wartime undertaking"". CNN. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  14. "Biden signs 10 executive orders to tackle Covid-19". BBC News. January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  15. Allegretti, Aubrey (January 21, 2021). "COVID-19: US president Joe Biden signs 10 executive orders to curb spread of coronavirus". Sky News. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  16. "Executive Order on Ensuring a Data-Driven Response to COVID-19 and Future High-Consequence Public Health Threats". The White House. January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  17. "Executive Order on Organizing and Mobilizing the United States Government to Provide a Unified and Effective Response to Combat COVID-19 and to Provide United States Leadership on Global Health and Security". The White House. January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  18. CDC (March 28, 2020). "COVID Data Tracker". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  19. "Executive Order on Economic Relief Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic". The White House. January 22, 2021. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  20. "Biden adds South Africa to Covid travel bans". BBC News. BBC. January 25, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  21. "US Health, Coronavirus, USA travel exclusions". reuters. January 18, 2021.

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