The President of the United States has accused Americans, who have not yet been vaccinated against Covid-19, of delaying economic recovery. At a press conference held this Friday at the White House, Joe Biden said that some political figures are actively trying to undermine the executive’s efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Most Americans are doing the right thing,” CNBC quoted the president as saying that about 70 million Americans have not yet been vaccinated against the virus. According to Our World in Data, as of September 23rd, 54.29% of the US population was fully vaccinated, and 63.20% were waiting for a second dose.
“Hear the voices of people who have not been vaccinated and are in hospital beds,” Joe Biden asked, adding that it is “completely unacceptable” that they oppose vaccinations: “People are dying,” he said. “Please make a vaccine,” he pleaded several times.
Economists cut expectations for the second half of the year after a series of disappointing economic reports.
According to the latest figures from the Labor Department, the US economy created just 235,000 jobs in August, well below expectations for economic growth surveyed by the Dow Jones of 720,000.
Also this week The federal reserve predicted that GDP in 2021 will grow at 5.9% per annum, which is lower than the previous forecast of growth of 7%, and also showed that the annual inflation rate in the United States in June reached 5.4%, which is a new increase from with the previous month, when the indicator remained at the level of 5%. Inflation is expected to hit 4.2% this year (versus 3.4% forecast in June), and then fall to 2.2% in 2022, according to new forecasts.
Biden’s comments come in hours after The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has authorized the distribution and administration of a booster dose of the Pfizer / BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.…
At the same press conference, the president-elect stressed that he would accept his “as soon as possible” and that “just like the first and second doses”, the third will also be “free and easily available.” Vaccination boosters will be available for people aged 65 and over, residents of nursing homes, people aged 50 to 64 with serious health problems, and key workers, including healthcare workers. An additional dose can be given at least six months after the last dose of the vaccine.
