After the identification of the omicron strain, President Biden’s prior vows to “shut down the virus” have been gradually scaled back. Biden is now claiming the US will have to “fight it back” before we “shut it down.”
DOOCY: "Are you no longer going to 'shut it down'?"
BIDEN: 🤡🤡🤡https://t.co/owYj8Uomgv
— Bongino Report (@BonginoReport) December 3, 2021
On the campaign trail, Biden repeatedly stated he would “shut down” the coronavirus if elected. Biden frequently claimed previous President Trump’s “ineptness” forced the country to shut down in major parts.
Biden also reassured Americans his government would deal with the epidemic more effectively.
A Change of Tone
However, when the latest form, omicron, became more common in the United States, the president’s tone became weaker and his promises became less extravagant.
"The idea that you can build a wall around America to keep any Covid from around the world out is not there," Biden says.
He added: "In order to beat Covid, you have to shut it down worldwide" https://t.co/E6aEHyZUQZ pic.twitter.com/yRZswJR7tE
— Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) December 3, 2021
“We’ve got to defeat it before we shut it down. Look, this is going to take time on a global scale. To combat COVID, we need to take it down globally,” Biden said during a news conference on December 3, when asked if he still wanted to “shut down” the virus.
In recent weeks, the term “beat it back” has been employed increasingly frequently by Biden, replacing the “shut it down” message that defined his early pledges.
In a Thursday op-ed for USA Today, Biden stated specialists predict COVID-19 instances will continue to grow this winter and we will see additional omicron instances here in the United States.Â
Biden says he understands Americans are tired of COVID-19 and would like to know when it will stop; the new strain is adding to their anxiety.
“We will drive it back with research and speed, not chaos and uncertainty,” Biden added.
Biden Admits to Lack of Knowledge
The president is hardly the only official who is lowering expectations. Jen Psaki, the press secretary, expressed similar worry, as the omicron strain continues to pique worldwide interest.
When questioned about Biden’s commitment to “shut down” the virus during a news conference on Thursday, Psaki responded, “There’s a lot we don’t know about the strain yet.”
Psaki said she realizes how difficult and irritating this is for Americans. The White House press secretary later emphasized the number of unknown factors of the omicron variant. This came before her speculations that more vaccines and masking may bring the United States to “a form of normal.”
Psaki also stated there are a variety of solutions, as Dr. Fauci and medical professionals have discussed. The virus might be less lethal or more lethal. They have no idea. So she just wishes to state America is in the next stage of the understanding process.
The Biden administration firmly believes if they continue making vaccinations more accessible to all Americans, the country can return to a form of normalcy in our society. That is what everyone desires and would want to see.
