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Biden advisers urge immediate COVID-19 action as US infections close in on 11 m
They warned that Republican President Donald Trump's transition delay could further jeopardize the battle against the rampaging virus, including vaccine distribution planning, and urged Congress to immediately pass bipartisan financial relief even before Biden, a Democrat, takes office on Jan. 20.
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In this file photo taken on Oct. 22, 2014 Ebola response coordinator Ron Klain (right) listens while US President Barack Obama makes a statement to the press on the Canadian Parliament shooting after their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC. US (AFP/Brendan Smialowski)
U
S President-elect Joe Biden's top advisers called for urgent action to address the nation's "deeply alarming" COVID-19 epidemic on Sunday, a day when total US infections are likely to cross the 11 million mark just eight days after hitting 10 million.
They warned that Republican President Donald Trump's transition delay could further jeopardize the battle against the rampaging virus, including vaccine distribution planning, and urged Congress to immediately pass bipartisan financial relief even before Biden, a Democrat, takes office on Jan. 20.
Daily new infections in recent days have more than doubled single-day highs reported during the previous US peak in mid-July, and the number of COVID-19 patients in US hospitals also reached an all-time high, forcing a wave of new restrictions heading into the US holiday season.
"We are in a very dangerous period," Dr. Michael Osterholm, a member of Biden's COVID-19 Advisory Board and director of the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, told NBC News' "Meet the Press."
Unless action is taken now, "we're going to see these numbers grow substantially," Osterholm warned. "Our future's in our hands."
Spikes in cases have hit every US state. Several have implemented new mask mandates, imposed limits on gatherings and taken other public health measures despite earlier resistance as local healthcare systems reached a tipping point.
Washington state Governor Jay Inslee announced sweeping new restrictions on gatherings and businesses on Sunday, including a ban on indoor service at restaurants and bars, to combat a recent surge in COVID-19 cases in his state.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer was expected to make an announcement about restrictions in her state at 6 p.m. EST (2300 GMT), local media reported.
Basic public health measures such as face covering to curb the virus' spread have become politicized under Trump, who has eschewed mask mandates even after contracting COVID-19 last month, while Biden has backed their widespread use.
Still, some Republican governors in recent days have been forced to act, with North Dakota joining 35 other states over the weekend in mandating masks and Iowa this week requiring them in certain circumstances.
Forty US states have reported record increases in COVID-19 cases so far in November, while 20 saw a record rise in deaths and 26 reported record hospitalizations, according to a Reuters tally.
Saturday's 1,257 COVID-19 deaths marked the fifth consecutive day with more than 1,000 deaths in the United States.
Ron Klain, Biden's incoming White House chief of staff, on Sunday urged Congress to immediately pass COVID-19 relief legislation with new restrictions certain to take a toll.
"This could be a first example of bipartisan action post-election," Klain told NBC. He said Biden has spoken to congressional Democratic leaders, but not to Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who has so far refused to publicly acknowledge Biden as president-elect.
