Biden's COVID plans: increased spending, surveillance, mask mandates

Biden has announced a drastic ramp-up in federal spending, the creation of new government agencies, federally funded contact tracing, and mask mandates.

ADVERTISEMENT
Image
Libby Emmons Brooklyn NY
ADVERTISEMENT

Presumed President-elect Joe Biden has announced his plans to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, and they include a drastic ramp-up in federal spending, the creation of new government agencies, federally funded contact tracing, and mask mandates.

The seven-point plan includes one to "implement mask mandates nationwide." The new administration plans to demand that governors make mask mandatory in their states, and that local authorities comply as well. How the mandate would be enforced is as yet unclear.

The Biden Harris administration intends to "double the number of drive-through testing sites," increase at home coronavirus tests and instant tests, under the auspices of a Roosevelt-style Pandemic Testing Board.

Under Biden, "at least 100,000 Americans" will be hired under a new "US Public Health Jobs Corps," which will "perform culturally competent approaches to contact tracing and protecting at-risk populations." Biden will fund personal protective equipment at the state level.

Biden intends to increase funding to states for their own budget shortfalls, and will make guidelines for social distancing, business and school closures, uniform, from the federal level down the line to the state and municipal level. Another $25 billion will go to manufacturing and distribution of a vaccine.

While Biden states that in America, everyone should receive "the protection and care they deserve," the new administration, under Kamala Harris' lead, intends to "establish a COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities Task Force." Once the crisis is over, this task force will be permanent, and become an "Infectious Disease Racial Disparities Task Force."

Another new federal program will the the Nationwide Pandemic Dashboard, so that people can check in on the results of all the ramped up testing.

Biden will restart funding of the World Health Organization, and restore funding the US Agency for International Development's PREDICT program. There will be more funding for the CDC as well, including opening CDC offices in Beijing.

Biden's plans call for a strikingly more active federal government reach into state and local affairs in the fight against COVID-19. Americans can expect a drastic increase in spending, the creation of new government agencies, and contact tracing and mask-wearing mandates. Biden's plan represents a fundamental ideological shift in the approach to the pandemic, one that places the primary responsibility at the federal level.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Join and support independent free thinkers!

We’re independent and can’t be cancelled. The establishment media is increasingly dedicated to divisive cancel culture, corporate wokeism, and political correctness, all while covering up corruption from the corridors of power. The need for fact-based journalism and thoughtful analysis has never been greater. When you support The Post Millennial, you support freedom of the press at a time when it's under direct attack. Join the ranks of independent, free thinkers by supporting us today for as little as $1.

Support The Post Millennial

Remind me next month

To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, please visit our Privacy Policy

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
ADVERTISEMENT
© 2024 The Post Millennial, Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell My Personal Information