'America won't lose war against virus': Biden calls for unity in Thanksgiving speech

On November 25, US President-elect Joe Biden called for ‘unity’ amongst Americans to fight the pandemic crisis in a compelling Thanksgiving speech. Emphasizing the value of shared sacrifices, Biden appealed to the citizens to come together to get through the pandemic. “We're at war with a virus, not each other,” he said, adding, this was the time to double the efforts and recommit oneself to the fight. “Remember, we’re all in this together,” the former Vice President reminded. 

In his live-streamed Thanksgiving address, Biden asked the citizens not to surrender to the “fatigue” of the coronavirus as he warned that the battle was far from over. He emphasized the need for a “shared goal” for defeating the virus. Biden reiterated the public health officials’ advisory, as he asked people to avoid large gatherings and minimize celebrations as the infections from the novel coronavirus were on the rise. "I know the country has grown weary of the fight,” Biden said, adding, it was the time to “steel our spines, redouble our efforts, and recommit ourselves to the fight.”

The US President-elect would be spending the Thanksgiving at his home in Delaware with his wife Jill Biden, daughter and son-in-law, as he appealed to the Americans to do the same and keep the assembly limited to close family members. “We all have a role to play in beating this crisis,” he said. 

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Biden emphasizes 'individual responsibility'

“The federal government has vast powers to combat this virus. And I commit to you I will use all those powers to lead a national coordinated response," the former Vice President assured citizens. He empathized with the grieving families of the COVID-19 victims this holiday season, who would have empty chairs at the time of festivities. Biden reiterated the public’s role in mitigating the coronavirus. “Federal government can't do it alone. Each of us has a responsibility in our own lives to do what we can to slow the virus. Every decision we make matters. Every decision we make can save a life,” the US President-elect said. As of November 25, the US reported 2,046 fatalities in the highest one-day coronavirus death toll, with a record 89,954 hospitalizations for the sixteenth consecutive day. 

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