Biden Unveils Coronavirus Plan, Warns It Will Take Time To See Improvement

On Thursday, President Joe Biden revealed his comprehensive plan to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, though he warned that it would take months for the actions to significantly impact the pandemic's course. According to Biden, the plan is "based on science, not politics. It's based on truth, not denial, and it's detailed." The president warned that the death toll will likely reach 500,000 people next month as the administration works to vaccinate Americans and limit the spread of the virus through masks and social distancing. Biden announced 10 new executive orders while his administration released a 200-page plan. The executive orders include a mask mandate on public transportation, requiring international travelers to have a negative COVID-19 test before entering the U.S., an invocation of the Defense Production Act to resupply personal protective equipment, and distribution of tests and vaccines. Biden will also establish a "COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force," a new pandemic testing research board, and will create a COVID-19 Response Office. Biden's new coronavirus plan received coverage across the political spectrum. Some left-rated outlets compared Biden's response to former President Donald Trump's coronavirus response; some right-rated outlets tended to highlight Biden's grim remarks about the number of cases, as well as the strict orders the administration is placing on the nation.