While Biden Has Led From Day One, Republican Attacks on Vaccines, Mandates and Masks have Fueled a Surge in Cases, Hospitalizations and Deaths
Washington, D.C.– Today, President Biden released a comprehensive plan to combat the Delta surge that has resulted in record caseloads and overwhelmed hospitals across the United States. President Biden aims to get the crisis under control by promoting vaccinations and booster shots, increasing masking and testing, making schools safer, improving care for people who get sick, and furthering the economic recovery kickstarted by the American Rescue Plan. In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse released the following statement:
“From day one, President Biden has worked tirelessly to end this pandemic. His administration has made record progress by getting shorts in arms, money in pockets, and people back to work. Meanwhile, Republicans have spewed anti-science conspiracy theories that have fueled vaccine hesitancy, resulting in more people getting sick. Now, with the highly-contagious Delta variant, President Biden is taking aggressive action to get more people vaccinated, decrease hospitalizations and deaths, and keep schools open. Republican leaders must stop standing in the way and work together to get us back on track.”
BACKGROUND:
President Biden Continues To Lead The Fight Against COVID
- President Biden And Democrats Passed The American Rescue Plan Which Surged Vaccinations With Billions In Investment, Leading To 376 Million Doses Administered To Date. After inheriting a “nonexistent” vaccine program from the previous administration, President Biden transformed the U.S. vaccination rollout by introducing the American Rescue Plan. The American Rescue Plan allocated billions to ramp up a national vaccination campaign, including setting up community vaccination clinics, deploying mobile units, and fortifying the vaccine supply chain. To date, more than 376 million doses have been administered and over 176 million people have been fully vaccinated.
- President Biden Has Followed The Science, Leading By Example And Protecting Millions. President Biden has an executive order requiring the majority of federal workers be vaccinated against COVID-19. This bold step sets an example for states, private businesses, and educational institutions to follow suit and protect residents with a proven and effective solution to combating the pandemic.
- President Biden Has Acted Swiftly To Protect Americans Most Impacted By The Pandemic. President Biden and Democrats in Congress have not hesitated in their response to this global crisis. From ensuring symptoms of “long COVID-19” qualify as a disability under federal law, to establishing a financial safety net for those who have lost employment, to providing lifesaving health coverage, President Biden has stepped up to protect our nation’s most vulnerable.
Republicans Have Made Matters Worse
- Republicans At Every Level Failed To Meet The Moment. At the federal, state, and local level, Republicans endangered the lives of millions and needlessly prolonged the pandemic by politicizing a public health crisis. Not only have Republicans failed to require common sense measures like masking and social distancing, many are actively fighting solutions and spreading conspiracy theories for their own political gain.
- Republicans Complete For Political Attention As Their Constituents Suffer. Republican Governors in Florida, Georgia, and Texas continue to fight for the political spotlight by actively putting their residents in harm’s way. The current Delta surge has laid bare the effects of prohibiting scientifically proven public health measures — thousands have become infected, ICUs are nearing capacity, if not overflowing, and schools are being forced to participate in mass quarantines and closures due to the spread.