... Mr. Biden said the government will buy a half-billion rapid coronavirus tests and distribute them free to Americans; create new vaccination and testing sites; and send 1,000 military medical professionals to help hospitals nationwide.
...Mr. Biden said...that vaccinated Americans should feel comfortable celebrating with their friends and family for the upcoming holidays.
The president said military troops will begin arriving in Wisconsin and Indiana this week to aid health care workers at hospitals. He said the first of the new testing sites will open in New York within days. And he promised to use the Defense Production Act to help manufacturers better meet the demand for testing.
...
Some of Mr. Biden’s announcements — including the distribution of new at-home tests — are not intended to be implemented for weeks, if not longer, raising doubts about how much they will help in the short term. And most are incremental steps that many public health experts say fall far short of the kind of aggressive actions required.
The president is not moving to mandate testing or vaccination for travelers on domestic flights, and he flatly ruled out on Tuesday returning to the kinds of restrictions that some European nations have once again imposed...
“That’s what I keep getting asked,” Mr. Biden said. “The answer is absolutely no. No.”
...
... In Massachusetts, state officials called out the National Guard to help staff hospitals with crushing caseloads.
...
Omicron erupted at a precarious moment for the president, who ran on a promise to curb the pandemic, only to be confronted with a shape-shifting virus that is now claiming more than 1,000 American lives every day. It is also a divisive political climate in which many Americans, particularly supporters of former President Donald J. Trump, have refused to get vaccinated.
Delta too! And both eminently predictable. He wasn't prepared.
In his remarks, Mr. Biden acknowledged the former president, noting that Mr. Trump recently said he had received a booster shot, and that “thanks to the prior administration and the scientific community, America is one of the first countries to get the vaccine.”
... But Mr. Biden grew defensive in the face of questions about whether he had not moved quickly enough, especially in ensuring that free tests were widely available.
In his remarks, Mr. Biden acknowledged the former president, noting that Mr. Trump recently said he had received a booster shot, and that “thanks to the prior administration and the scientific community, America is one of the first countries to get the vaccine.”
... But Mr. Biden grew defensive in the face of questions about whether he had not moved quickly enough, especially in ensuring that free tests were widely available.
That's his default, defensive. He's always late, everything's a surprise, it's never his fault. The only thing true in that repetitive litany is "He's always late."
“I don’t think anybody anticipated this was going to spread as rapidly,” Mr. Biden said...
“I don’t think anybody anticipated this was going to spread as rapidly,” Mr. Biden said...
See? There he goes. EVERYBODY anticipated O was going to spread this rapidly.
...rejecting the characterization of his testing response as a failure. He said that over the last few days, “all of a sudden it was like everybody rushed to the counter.”
Right! Just like "all of a sudden" thousands of people rushed to the airport in Afghanistan to get out! Who could have foreseen that? Absolute bullshit.
“It was a big, big rush,” he said.
“It was a big, big rush,” he said.
Which, Mr. President, in Afghanistan or here?
Just two weeks ago, Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, mocked the idea of sending a test to every American.
Just two weeks ago, Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, mocked the idea of sending a test to every American.
Oh really?! G-o-o-d job Jen!
“Should we just send one to every American?” she asked a reporter on Dec. 6. ...How much does that cost?”
At least three experts who have been calling for months for the administration to ramp up testing said that the shortfall was entirely predictable, and that the administration’s new testing policy, while a promising first step, was belated.
See! Predictable and late.
...
Some infectious disease experts say it is simply not possible now to stop the virus from spreading, and that the administration must focus on slowing the spread, protecting the most vulnerable and preventing already strained hospital systems from being overwhelmed.
...
Preventing infection completely...is “not a winnable battle.”-Dr. Luciana Borio, a former acting chief scientist for the Food and Drug Administration.
“Should we just send one to every American?” she asked a reporter on Dec. 6. ...How much does that cost?”
At least three experts who have been calling for months for the administration to ramp up testing said that the shortfall was entirely predictable, and that the administration’s new testing policy, while a promising first step, was belated.
See! Predictable and late.
...
Some infectious disease experts say it is simply not possible now to stop the virus from spreading, and that the administration must focus on slowing the spread, protecting the most vulnerable and preventing already strained hospital systems from being overwhelmed.
...
Preventing infection completely...is “not a winnable battle.”-Dr. Luciana Borio, a former acting chief scientist for the Food and Drug Administration.
And if there is fault there (and I think there is (but what do I know)) it's on Big Pharma. I remember when Delta dawned one scientist, a woman, was quoted in the Times as wearily asking rhetorically "Do we want vaccines to prevent infection or do we want vaccines to prevent hospitalization and death?" I remember reacting angrily that WE WANTED BOTH and probably called her a bad name, like "dipshit."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Monday that Omicron, which was causing less than 1 percent of new Covid-19 cases in the United States as December began, now accounts for nearly three-quarters of new cases.
... Matching testing supply with demand has been a challenge for both the Trump and the Biden administrations, and the United States has lagged behind Europe in making at-home tests cheap and readily available.
Okay, well now, it's Biden's problem exclusively. He took over with testing backed up and scarce. He hasn't done shit about it until now.
The 500 million tests that the administration intends to purchase, and the website where Americans will be able to request them, will not be available until sometime in January. Much will depend on precisely when that will be.
...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Monday that Omicron, which was causing less than 1 percent of new Covid-19 cases in the United States as December began, now accounts for nearly three-quarters of new cases.
... Matching testing supply with demand has been a challenge for both the Trump and the Biden administrations, and the United States has lagged behind Europe in making at-home tests cheap and readily available.
Okay, well now, it's Biden's problem exclusively. He took over with testing backed up and scarce. He hasn't done shit about it until now.
The 500 million tests that the administration intends to purchase, and the website where Americans will be able to request them, will not be available until sometime in January. Much will depend on precisely when that will be.
...
Too late, Joey! Too late again! O is going to account for 95%+ of U.S. cases by "sometime in January."
Some said the testing plan was too little, too late. ...
Some said the testing plan was too little, too late. ...
Here!
...“A start (finally), but billions are needed to help prevent spread,” Dr. Eric Topol, the founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, wrote on Twitter. Dr. Topol suggested in a separate essay that the president could have moved more aggressively on other fronts, by distributing KN95 masks to all households, for example.
It was not immediately clear where the tests would come from, how they would be shipped or whether there would be limits on the number an individual could order.
It was not immediately clear where the tests would come from, how they would be shipped or whether there would be limits on the number an individual could order.
Other than those details, I'm on this! Just like in Afghanistan! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to Camp David.
...
Hospital executives said the plan to provide military medical personnel and other workers to beleaguered hospitals should help address some of the severe staffing shortages affecting many facilities.
“It’s a good immediate move,” said Dr. Thomas McGinn, an executive vice president at CommonSpirit, a large Catholic group with 140 hospitals in 21 states.
...
Hospital executives said the plan to provide military medical personnel and other workers to beleaguered hospitals should help address some of the severe staffing shortages affecting many facilities.
“It’s a good immediate move,” said Dr. Thomas McGinn, an executive vice president at CommonSpirit, a large Catholic group with 140 hospitals in 21 states.
Maybe I ought to change the name of this blog to "Fun Public Occurrences."
