Biden Says COVID-19 Pandemic ‘Is Over’
President Joe Biden said in a new interview that the COVID-19 pandemic has ended, stoking criticism from some critics over his administration’s continued use of emergency policies.
“The pandemic is over,” Biden told CBS’ “60 Minutes” in an interview that aired on Sept. 18.
“We still have a problem with COVID. We’re still doing a lot of work on it. But the pandemic is over. If you notice, no one’s wearing masks. Everybody seems to be in pretty good shape,” the Democrat added.
Biden was speaking at the Detroit Auto Show, the first time the event was held since the pandemic started.
The World Health Organization, part of the United Nations, declares pandemics. The agency has not said the pandemic is over.
COVID-19 metrics, though, have plunged across the world since peaking in late 2021 and early 2022. Additionally, the newer variants of the COVID-19 virus have proven less virulent than earlier strains, though vaccines and prior infection don’t protect as well against them.
Administration Policies
Despite Biden’s comments, his administration continues to treat the pandemic as an emergency.
Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, a Biden appointee, extended the public health emergency declaration on July 15, and the administration has given no signs that it plans to end the declaration, which was first entered in early 2020 under President Donald Trump.
The administration is also fighting legal battles over mask and vaccine mandates because, its lawyers have said, the mandates are needed to protect public health during the pandemic.
Furthermore, several agencies are utilizing emergency rules to take action—the Food and Drug Administration, for instance, just cleared updated COVID-19 vaccine booster shots under emergency use authorization (EUA).
Reaction
Critics said Biden’s comments mean there should quickly be a change in policy from his administration.
“President Biden made a public statement tonight announcing that
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