Refinitiv Newscasts - Biden makes remarks on Delta variant and vaccines 1

Medical Facilities

09/09/2021 23:24

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Source: Reuters

Description: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the Delta variant
and the need to increase vaccinations.
Short Link: https://refini.tv/3l80y6G

Video Transcript:

>> Good evening my fellow Americans. I'll talk about where we are in the
battle against COVID-19. The progress we've made and the work we have left to
do. It starts with understanding this. Even as the delta variant 19 as
COVID-19 has been hitting his country hard, we have the tool to combat the
virus. If we can come together as a country and use those tools, if we raise
our vaccination rate, protect ourselves and others with mask and expanded
testing, and identify people who are infected, we can and we will turn the
tide on COVID-19. It'll take a lot of hard work and it's going to take some
time. Many of us are frustrated with the nearly 80 million Americans who are
still not vaccinated even though the vaccine is safe, effective, and free. It
might be confused about what is true, what is false about COVID-19. Before I
outline the new steps to fight COVID-19 that I'm going to be announcing
tonight, let me give you some clear information about where we stand. First.
>> We've made considerable progress in battling COVID-19. When I became
President, about two million Americans were fully vaccinated. Today, over 175
million Americans have that protection. Before I took office, we hadn't
ordered enough vaccine for every American, just weeks in office, we did. The
week before I took office on January 20th of this year, over 25,000 Americans
died that week of COVID-19. Last week, that grim weekly toll was down 70
percent. Then three months before I took office, our economy was faltering,
creating just 50,000 jobs a month, we're now averaging 700,000 new jobs a
month in the past three months. This progress is real. But while America is in
better shape than it was seven months ago when I took office, I need to tell
you a second fact. We're in a tough stretch and it could last for a while.
Highly contagious Delta variant that I began to warn America about back in
July, spread late summer, like it did and other countries before us. While the
vaccines provide strong protection for the vaccinated, we read about and hear
about, and we see the stories of hospitalized people, people on their
deathbeds among the unvaccinated over the past few weeks. This is a pandemic
of the unvaccinated and it's caused by the fact that despite America having
unprecedented and successful vaccination program, despite the fact that for
almost five months, free vaccines have been available in 80,000 different
locations, we still have nearly 80 million Americans who have failed to get
the shot. To make matters worse, there are elected officials actively working
to undermine the fight against COVID-19. Instead of encouraging people to get
vaccinated and mask up, they're ordering mobile morgues for the unvaccinated
dying from COVID in their communities. This is totally unacceptable. Third, if
you wonder how all this adds up, here's the math. The vast majority of
Americans are doing the right thing. Nearly three-quarters of the eligible
have gotten at least one shot, but one-quarter has not gotten any. That's
nearly 80 million Americans not vaccinated. In a country as large as ours,
that's 25 percent minority, that 25 percent can cause a lot of damage, and
they are. The unvaccinated overcrowd our hospitals, are overrunning the
emergency rooms and intensive care units, leaving no room for someone with a
heart attack or pancreatitis or cancer. Forth, I want to emphasize that the
vaccines provide very strong protection from severe illness from COVID-19. I
know there's a lot of confusion and misinformation, but the world's leading
scientists confirm that if you're a fully vaccinated, your risk of severe
illness from COVID-19 is very low. In fact, based on available data from the
summer, only one out of every 160,000 fully vaccinated Americans was
hospitalized for COVID per day. These are the facts. Here's where we stand,
the path ahead, even with the Delta variant is not nearly as bad as last
winter. But what makes it incredibly more frustrating is we have the tools to
combat COVID-19, and a distinct minority of Americans, supported by a distinct
minority of elected officials, are keeping us from turning the corner. These
pandemic politics [inaudible 00:16:09] are making people sick, causing an
unvaccinated people to die. We cannot allow these actions to stand in the way
of protecting the large majority of Americans who've done their part. I want
to get back to life as normal. As your President, I'm announcing tonight a new
plan to require more Americans to be vaccinated to combat those blocking
public health. My plan also increases testing, protects our economy, and will
make our kids safer in schools. It consist of six broad areas of action and
many specific measures in each of those actions and you can read more about in
whitehouse.gov. The measures, these are going to take time to have full
impact. But if we implement them, I believe, and the scientists indicate that
the months ahead we can reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans, decrease
hospitalizations and deaths, and allow our children to go to school safely,
and keep our economy strong by keeping businesses open. First, we must
increase vaccinations among the unvaccinated with new vaccination
requirements. With nearly 80 million eligible Americans who have not gotten
vaccinated, many said they were waiting for approval from the Food and Drug
Administration, the FDA. Well, last month, the FDA granted that approval, so
the time for waiting is over. This summer, we made progress through the
combination of vaccine requirements and incentives as well as the FDA
approval. Four million more people got their first shot in August than they
did in July, but we need to do more. This is not about freedom or personal
choice, it's about protecting yourself and those around you. The people you
work with, the people you care about, the people you love. My job as President
is to protect all Americans, so tonight, I'm announcing that the Department of
Labor is developing an emergency rule to require all employers with 100 or
more employees that together employ over 80 million workers, to ensure their
workforces are fully vaccinated or show a negative test at least once a week.
Some of the biggest companies are already requiring this. United Airlines,
Disney, Tyson's Food, and even Fox News. The bottom line, we're going to
protect vaccinated workers from unvaccinated coworkers. We're going to reduce
the spread of COVID-19 by increasing the share of the workforce that is
vaccinated in businesses all across America. My plan will extend the
vaccination requirements that I previously issued in the healthcare field.
Already I've announced, we'll be requiring vaccinations at all nursing home
workers who treat patients on Medicare and Medicaid because I had that federal
authority. Tonight I'm using that same authority to expand that to cover those
who work in hospitals, home health care facilities, or other medical
facilities; a total of 17 million health care workers. If you're seeking care
at a health facility, you should be able to know that the people treating you
are vaccinated, simple, straightforward, period. Next, I will sign an
executive order that will now require all executive branch federal employees
to be vaccinated, all. I've signed another executive order that will require
federal contractors to do the same if you want to work with the federal
government and do business with us, get vaccinated. If you want to do business
with the federal government, vaccinate your workforce. Tonight, I'm removing
one of the last remaining obstacles that make it difficult for you to get
vaccinated. The Department of Labor will require employers with 100 or more
workers to give those workers paid time off to get vaccinated. No one should
lose pay in order to get vaccinated or take a loved one to get vaccinated. >>
In total, the vaccine requirements in my plan will affect about 100 million
Americans, 2/3 of all workers. For other sectors, I issue this appeal. For
those of you who running large entertainment venues, from sports arenas, to
concert venues, to movie theaters, please require folks to get vaccinated or
show a negative test as a condition of entry. To the nation's family
physicians, pediatricians, GP, general practitioners, you are the most trusted
Medical voice to your patients. You may be the one person who can get someone
to change their mind about being vaccinated. Tonight, I'm asking each of you
to reach out to your unvaccinated patients over the next two weeks and make a
personal appeal to that to get the shot. America need your personal
involvement in this critical effort. My message to unvaccinated Americans is
this. What more is there to wait for? What more do you need to see? We've made
vaccinations free, safe, and convenient. The vaccine has FDA approval. Over
200 million Americans have gotten at least one shot. We've been patient, but
our patient is wearing thin, and your refusal has caused all of us. Please do
the right thing. But just take it from me. Listen to the voices of
unvaccinated Americans who are lying in hospital beds, taking their final
breath, saying, "If only I'd gotten vaccinated, if only." It's a tragedy.
Please don't let it become yours. Second piece of my plan is continuing to
protect the vaccinated. For the vast majority of you who've gotten vaccinated,
I understand your anger at those who haven't gotten vaccinated. I understand
the anxiety about getting a breakthrough case. But as the science makes clear,
if you're fully vaccinated, you're highly protected from severe illness, even
if you get COVID-19. In fact, recent data indicates there is only one
confirmed positive case per 5,000 fully vaccinated Americans per day. You're
as safe as possible. We're doing everything we can to keep it that way. Keep
it that way, keep you safe. That's where boosters come in. The shots that give
you even more protection than after your second shot. Now, I know there's been
some confusion about boosters, so let me be clear. Last month, our top
government doctors announced an initial plan for booster shots for vaccinated
Americans. They believe that the booster is likely to provide the highest
level of protection yet. Of course, the decision of which booster shots to
give and when to start them, and who will give them will be left completely to
the scientists at the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control. But while we
wait, we've done our part. We bought enough boosters, enough booster shots,
and the distribution system is ready to administer them. As soon as they are
authorized, those eligible will be able to get a booster right away, in tens
of thousands of sites across the country for most Americans at your nearby
drugstore , and for free. The third piece of my plan is maybe the most
important is keeping our children safe and our schools open. For any parent,
it doesn't matter how low the risk of any illness or accident is when it comes
to your child or grandchild. Trust me, I know. Let me speak to you directly.
Let me speak to you directly to help ease some of your worries. It comes down
to two separate categories. Children ages 12 and older, who are eligible for a
vaccine now, and children ages 11 and under who are not yet eligible. The
safest thing for your child 12 and older, is to get them vaccinated. The get
vaccinated for a lot of things. That's it. Get them vaccinated. Us as adults
almost all the series COVID-19 cases we're seeing among adolescents are
unvaccinated 12-17-year-olds, an age group that lags behind in vaccination
rates. Parents, please get your teenager vaccinate. What about children under
the age of 12 who can't get vaccinated yet? Well, the best way for a parent to
protect her child under the age of 12 starts at home. Every parent, every teen
sibling, every caregiver around them should be vaccinated. Children halves
four times higher chance of getting hospitalized if they live in a State with
low vaccination rates rather than in States with high vaccination rates. Now
if you're a parent of a young child, you're wondering when will be the vaccine
available for them? I strongly support independent scientific review for
vaccine uses for children under 12. We can't take shortcuts for that
scientific work. But I've made it clear I will do everything within my power
to support the FDA with any resource it needs to continue to do this as safely
and as quickly as possible. Our nation's top doctors are committed to keeping
the public at large updated on the process so parents can plan. Now to the
schools. We know that if schools follow the science, and implement the safety
measures like testing, masking, adequate ventilation systems which we provided
the money for, social distancing, and vaccinations. Then children can be safe
from COVID-19 in schools. Today, about 90 percent of school staff and teachers
are vaccinated. We should get that to 100 percent. My administration has
already acquired teachers at the schools run by the defense part, because I
have the authority as president in the Federal system, the Defense Department
and the interior Department to get vaccinated. That's authority I possess.
Tonight I'm announcing, that we require all of nearly 300,000 educators in the
Federal Head Page program, Head Start programs must be vaccinated as well to
protect your youngest, our youngest, most precious Americans, and give parents
the comfort. Tonight, I'm calling all governors to require vaccination for all
teachers and staff. Some already have done so. We need more to step up.
Vaccination requirements in schools are nothing new. They work. They're
overwhelmingly supported by educators and their unions. All school officials
trying to do the right thing by our children, I'll always be on your side. Let
me be blank. My plan also takes on elected officials and States that are
undermining you in these lifesaving actions. Right now, local school officials
are trying to keep children safe in a pandemic while their governor picks a
fight with them, and even threatens their salaries or there jobs. Talk about
bullying in schools. If they'll not help, if these governors won't help speed
the pandemic, I'll use my power as President is to get them out of the way.
The Department of Education has already begun to take legal action against
States undermining protection that local school officials have ordered. Any
teacher or school official whose pay is withheld for doing the right thing, we
will have that pay restored by the Federal Government, 100 percent. I promise
you, I will have your back. The fourth piece of my plan is increasing testing
and masking. From the start, America has failed to do enough COVID-19 testing.
In order to better detect and control the double variant, I'm taking steps
tonight to make testing more available, more affordable, and more convenient.
I'll use the Defense Production Act to increase production of rapid tests,
including those that you can use at home. While that production is ramping up,
my administration has worked with top retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and
Kroger's. Tonight, we're announcing that no later than next week, each of
these outlets will start to sell at-home rapid test kits at cost for the next
three months. This immediate price reduction for at-home test kits for up to
35 percent reduction will also expand free testing at 10,000 pharmacies around
the country. We're committing two billion dollars to purchase nearly 300
million rapid test for distribution to community health centers, food banks,
schools, so that every American, no matter their income, can access free and
convenient test. This is important to everyone, particularly for a parent or a
child with a child not old enough to be vaccinated. You'll be able to test
them at home and test those around them. In addition to testing, we know
masking help stop the spread of COVID-19. That's why when I came into office,
I required mask for all federal buildings, and on federal lands, on airlines
and other modes of transportation. >> Tonight, I'm announcing that the
Transportation Safety Administration, TSA, will double the fines on travelers
that refuse to mask. If you break the rules, be prepared to pay. By the way,
show some respect. The anger you see on television toward flight attendants
and others doing their job is wrong, it's ugly. The 5th piece of my plan is
protecting our economic recovery because of our vaccination program and the
American Rescue Plan which we passed through my administration, we've had
record job creation for new administration. Economic growth unmatched in 40
years. We cannot let unvaccinated do this progress, undo it, turn it back.
Tonight, I'm announcing additional steps to strengthening our economic
recovery. We'll be expanding COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan programs.
That's a program is going to allow small businesses to borrow up to two
million dollars from the current 500,000 to keep going of COVID-19 impacts on
their sales. These low-interest long-term loans require no repayment for two
years. We can use to hire and retain workers, purchase inventory, or even pay
down higher-cost debt racked up since the pandemic began. I'll also be taking
additional steps to help small businesses stay afloat during the pandemic.
Sixth, we're going to continue to improve the care of those who do get
COVID-19. In early July, I announced the deployment of surge response teams.
These are teams comprise of experts from the Department of Health and Human
Services, the CDC, the Defense Department, and the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, FEMA, to areas in the country that need help to stem the
spread of COVID-19. Since then, the federal government has deployed nearly
1,000 staff, including doctors, nurses, paramedics into 18 states. Today, I'm
announcing that the defense part will double the number of military health
teams that they'll deploy to help their fellow Americans and hospitals around
the country. Additionally, we're increasing the availability of new medicines
recommended by real doctors, not conspiracy theorists. The monoclonal antibody
treatments have been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization by up to 70
percent for unvaccinated people at risk of developing severe disease. We've
already distributed 1.4 million courses of these treatments to save lives and
reduce the strain on hospitals. Tonight, I'm announcing we will increase the
average pace of shipment across the country of free monoclonal antibody
treatments by another 50 percent. Before I close, let me say this, communities
of color are disproportionately impacted by this virus. As we continue to
[inaudible 00:35:10] COVID-19, we will ensure that equity continues to be at
the center of our response, we'll ensure that everyone is reached. My first
responsibility as President is to protect the American people and make sure we
have enough vaccine for every American, including enough boosters for every
American who is approved to get one. We also know this virus transcends
borders. That's why even as we execute this plan at home, we need to continue
fighting the virus overseas. Continue to be the arsenal of vaccines. We're
proud to have donated nearly 140 million vaccines over 90 countries more than
all other countries combined, including Europe, China, and Russia combined.
That's American leadership on a global stage, and that's just the beginning.
We've also now started to ship another 500 million COVID Pfizer vaccines
purchase to donate to 100 lower-income countries in need of vaccines. I'll be
announcing additional steps to help the rest of the world later this month. As
I recently released the key parts of my pandemic preparedness plan. So that
America isn't caught flat-footed with a new pandemic comes again as it will.
Next month, I'm also going to release the plan in greater detail. Let me close
this. We made so much progress during the past seven months of this pandemic.
The recent increases in vaccinations in August already are having an impact in
some states or case counts are dropping in recent days. Even so, we remain at
a critical moment or critical time. We have the tools. Now we just have to
finish the job with truth, with science, with confidence, and together as one
nation. Look, we're the United States, America. There's nothing, not a single
thing we're unable to do if we do it together. So let's stay together. God
bless you all and all those who continue to serve on the front lines of this
pandemic. May God protect our troops. Get vaccinated. >> [inaudible 00:39:05]