US President Joe Biden has announced that all adult Americans will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination by May 1 with an aim to get the country, worst-hit by the pandemic, closer to normal by July 4th, Independence Day.
“If we do all this, if we do our part, we do this together, by July the 4th, there's a good chance you, your families and friends will be able to get together in your backyard or in your neighbourhood and have a cookout and a barbecue and celebrate Independence Day,” Biden said.
In his first prime-time address to the nation on Thursday, since assuming office in January, Biden also announced the deployment of more than 4,000 active-duty troops to support vaccination efforts.
The President also touted his Administration's work with Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson to speed up production and roll-out of the shots.
But Biden did not mention Trump's Operation Warp Speed - an initiative that many on both sides of the aisle agree has helped speed up the process. Conservative commentators are now criticizing the Commander-in-chief for failing to acknowledge the role his predecessor played in process.
Sean Hannity led the conservative outrage and stated on his Fox News show: Joe, you want unity? Why don't you just thank Donald Trump? You want us all to get along, you say. No Trump, no vaccine, Joe. Stop trying to take credit for something, frankly, you had nothing to do with. Nothing.’’
As of Thursday, Biden said the total deaths in America due to COVID-19 is over 527,000. That's more deaths than in World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, and 9/11 combined.
