Joe Biden says US will 'in all probability' see more curbs amid rise in COVID-19 cases

Amid a resurgence of COVID-19 cases, President Joe Biden on Thursday, July 30, said that the United States will, “in all probability,” see more restrictions. When asked if Americans should expect new recommendations from health authorities or new restrictive measures, Biden responded, “in all probability,” before leaving, departing for Camp David. He did not specify what measures would be taken, however, he added that the country had a “good day” on Thursday in terms of vaccinations. 

"Almost a million people got vaccinated," Biden said, adding, “I am hopeful people are beginning to realize how essential it is”. 

When asked on Friday about whether the US is heading for more lockdowns amid rising COVID-19 cases, the White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters. In the statement, he said, “The way we see this is that we have the tools in our tool belt to fight this, this, this variant," adding, "we are not going to head towards a lockdown”. While pointing to the availability of free vaccines across the nation, he added, “Our goal is to make sure that we are not headed towards that -- that is not going to be the direction that we take, because we have the tools to prevent that”. 

Steps to combat COVID-19 surge 

The administration’s comments come as the US federal authorities, local officials and businesses have boosted health protocols in recent days in the face of surging cases. Earlier this week, the US officials also recommended that even vaccinated Americans again wear masks indoor in areas with high infection rates. The federal government has also tightened health regulations for its millions of employees, who must now either be vaccinated or wear masks and be tested regularly. 

The actions do not include a vaccination mandate for federal employees, which was being explored as the administration considered methods to safeguard federal employees while also setting an example for the private sector. They do, however, represent a dramatic return to controversial limits that Biden projected would be a thing of the past in June when he declared that America will be allowed to enjoy a "summer of freedom" with more mingling and in-person celebrations. Today, with hospitalizations and infections on the rise across the country, Americans must remain cautious, according to Biden.

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