The last time the end of COVID-19 seemed near in the United States, President Joe Biden declared victory too soon. This time he might be late.
The Democrat, who had promised to defeat the pandemic, finds himself in an increasingly difficult position as the decline of the Omicron variant allows Americans to dream of a return to normal life.
In many Republican states, leaders have long tried to pretend the pandemic is a distant memory, even as their hospitals remain full.
But today, as the number of cases plummets, Biden’s allies join them.
California, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island: in a few days, the list of Democratic states which have reduced – or completely removed – the obligation to wear a mask, in place for two years, has lengthened considerably.
And Joe Biden? He’s still waiting for recommendations from the nation’s top health agency, the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) — and the latter don’t want Americans to drop the mask.
“For now, we continue to recommend wearing a mask in areas with high transmission – that is, a large part of the country, in public places indoors,” Rochelle Walensky, director, said on Wednesday. of the CDCs.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki defended the president’s caution.
“As a federal government, we have a responsibility to rely on data, on science,” she assured reporters. “He will make a decision based on what the CDC advises. »
Voters or scientists
The White House insists, Joe Biden’s choices are guided by medicine, in contrast to his Republican predecessor Donald Trump who, at the start of the pandemic, minimized its seriousness and ignored the warnings of scientists.
“He promised the Americans (…) to listen to science”, reaffirmed Jen Psaki.
Joe Biden is also haunted by his premature declaration of victory last summer.
At the time, the pandemic seemed under control, with the virus receding and a vaccination campaign in full swing. The president had even made the July 4 national holiday a day of “independence” in the face of COVID, and organized a barbecue at the White House for some 1,000 guests.
But the Delta variant was about to spoil the party, and Omicron, even more transmissible, would definitely dampen hopes. The virus would still kill hundreds of thousands in the United States.
The improvement observed today seems undeniable.
The seven-day average of daily cases is down 44% from the previous week, according to health authorities. At the hospital, the average daily admissions have decreased by almost 25%.
Figures like these have many politicians saying it’s time to listen to voters, not just experts.
“We must learn to live with COVID as we move from a pandemic phase to an endemic phase,” argued New Jersey Democratic Governor Phil Murphy on Monday, announcing the upcoming end of mask wearing in schools.
The White House understands these competing demands, according to its spokesperson.
“We know people are fed up with the pandemic. I bet you too. In any case, it is my case, ”said Jen Psaki.
But “our priority remains that everyone follows CDC recommendations… And we know that wearing a mask effectively reduces transmission.”