President Joe Biden has urged Americans to prepare themselves for the new coronavirus variant as he launched a new program aimed at helping COVID-19-infected people get tested at a nearby pharmacy and get free antiviral pills on the spot. initiative has been launched.
In his first State of the Union address on Tuesday, Biden said that thanks to the progress the country has made last year, COVID-19 no longer needs to control Americans’ lives.
“We should be ready for new variants. In the last one year, we have gotten much better at spotting new variants. If necessary, we will be able to have new vaccines within 100 days instead of several more months or years, Biden told Americans weary of the pandemic.
“And, if Congress provides us with the necessary funds, we will have fresh stockpiles of tests, masks and pills if needed. I can’t promise there won’t be a new version. But I can promise you that if this happens we will do everything within our power to be prepared.
“I know some people are talking about living with COVID-19′. Tonight I say that we will never accept living only with COVID-19, he said. The President said that the US will continue to combat the virus like any other disease and be vigilant because it is a virus that mutates and spreads.
He listed four steps to proceed safely. The US is the worst affected country by the deadly pandemic which was first reported in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late December, 2019.
The US has reported over 79,088,500 confirmed cases and over 952,600 COVID-related deaths, according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University.
“First of all, be safe with vaccines and treatments. We know how incredibly effective vaccines are. If you have been vaccinated and raised, you have the highest level of protection. We will never give up on vaccinating more Americans. Now, I know that parents with children under the age of 5 are eager to see an authorized vaccine for their children, he said.
“Scientists are working hard to get this done and when they do we’ll be ready with a lot of vaccines. We’re also ready with anti-viral treatments. If you do get COVID-19, the Pfizer pill can help you. reduces the chances of ending up in the hospital by 90%, he said.
Biden said his administration has ordered more of these pills than anyone in the world, adding that Pfizer is working overtime to get one million US pills this month and more than double next month. He said the US is launching the Test to Treat initiative so that people can get tested at a pharmacy, and if they are positive, receive antiviral pills at no cost.
“If you are immunized or have any other vulnerability, we have treatment and free high quality masks. As we move forward we are not leaving anyone behind or ignoring anyone’s needs. And by testing, we’ve made millions of tests available for you to order for free, he said.
A White House official told reporters that as the president said in his State of the Union address, the administration has worked with Pfizer to expedite the distribution of its antiviral pills, which will help prevent the spread of COVID- With 19 the chance of being hospitalized drops to 90 percent.
“In March, we will have one million pills available and we will have more than double that in April. As supplies continue to increase, it is important that those who test positive can be treated quickly and easily,” the official said.
To that end, President Biden announced the launch of a nationwide ‘Test to Treat Initiative’ to shorten the time between receiving a positive test result and effective COVID-19 treatment, including antiviral pills and monoclonal antibodies. Under this programme, people can get tested at local pharmacies and community health centers and get antiviral pills immediately, the official said.
The administration will launch these one-stop shops this month, with hundreds of sites opening nationwide, including pharmacy clinics at places like CVS, Walgreens and Kroger.
The official said that the administration will continue to push the program with time.
The initiative will also include new actions to educate the public about the availability of new treatments and the importance of starting them immediately after the onset of symptoms; providing health care providers with information about these new treatments; and deliver antiviral pills directly to long-term care facilities.
Additionally, as part of his effort to expand access to free at-home testing, the president announced that, starting next week, families who have already ordered testing through COVIDTests.gov , they can place an order for an additional four tests. their house for free.
The official said the program has already distributed more than 270 million free tests to more than 68 million homes in the US, most of which are given within 48 hours of the tests being dispatched by the USPS.
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