President Biden Updates COVID-19 Plan
Rachael Hirstein
September 16, 2021
On Sept. 9, 2021, President Biden announced his new plan in combating COVID-19. The program breaks down into six steps to improve the status of the US regarding the pandemic.
The first step is to vaccinate the unvaccinated; President Biden announced a new law from the Department of Labor. This new law requires that businesses with 100 or more employees prove to be fully vaccinated or submit to testing once a week.
The second step is to achieve FDA and CDC-approved boosters. These boosters are intended to maximize the effectiveness of those already vaccinated.
The third step discusses how to keep K-12 schools open safely. This includes having staff, and eligible students (ages 12 and up) vaccinated, requiring masks indoors, physical distancing, improved ventilation, and performing regular COVID tests on staff and students.
In the fourth step, President Biden plans to increase testing and mask-wearing and make available at-home tests to the public. The fifth step is to improve the economy by ensuring no future lockdowns by offering up to $2 million in loans to small businesses to improve and hire employees.
The final step in improving conditions and the care of those is by introducing monoclonal antibody treatments for non-vaccinated people.
This plan has been implemented on campus in various ways. Requiring weekly Illinois SHIELD testing and providing proof of vaccination mirrors step one of the plans, whereas mask requirements on campus reflect step four. President Biden plans to ensure the future vaccination to “combat those blocking public health.” The president will elaborate on his plans moreover next month. For more information on the steps involved in this updated COVID-19 plan, click here.