Amesh Adalja of the Johns Hopkins Institute is an expert on infectious diseases and pandemics and is enthusiastic about the team appointed: “The scientists each have their own expertise and most of them I know personally. I am confident.”
According to Adalja, it is important that Biden already shows moral leadership, even if he has not yet been sworn in. “President Trump will be in office for a few more weeks, but Biden must already address the American people. Corona will soon be his problem.”
Something Biden has insisted on repeatedly is wearing mouth masks. “I beg you, wear a mask,” said the former vice president yesterday. “We can save tens of thousands of lives if everyone does. Not Democratic or Republican lives, but American lives.”
Epidemiologist Adalja expects that Biden and his team will push for a nationwide duty to mask the mouth. But such a thing is difficult to implement, because every state in America has its own regulations. “Normally this is with states and counties themselves, but Biden and the corona team will want to stimulate this from the federal government. “
Mondkapjesplicht
Would the Americans patiently lining up for a corona test welcome such a duty of masking? “It only works if we all do that,” nods a woman at the Judiciary Square test site, a square surrounded by government buildings. Another lady, who has just been tested with her husband, reacts somewhat indignantly: “I even wear a face mask when I water the plants. We follow the rules, but some people just don’t want that. You don’t understand. “
In Washington DC, one of the most Democratic cities in the country, wearing face masks doesn’t seem to be an issue. Almost everyone wears them. It is compulsory in public buildings and the gym, and outside if you cannot keep your distance. Many people even wear face masks when running, even when no one is around.
How different is that in some other parts of the country. “I was in Ohio last week and no one had a face mask on there. Nobody, not even the police,” says a man with a Biden-Harris face mask. “There I was the one who was looked at strangely.”
Fight the virus
America is divided when it comes to dealing with corona. “I think that is clear. That is also reflected in the election results,” says a woman who wears a splash guard on top of her mask. “That’s why I’m so happy that science is once again leading our government.”
America needs to be reunited in the fight against the virus. The people in the queue are cautiously optimistic about the new course that Biden and are corona task force want to stock up. “If anyone can get it done it’s Biden.” And another: “Whether I’m worried? At least less than a week ago.”
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