President Biden focused his first full day in office on the COVID-19 pandemic, signing another wave of executive orders Thursday aimed at both the virus and its economic toll.
One of Biden's 10 new orders is focused on increasing coronavirus vaccine distribution, after his team reportedly found former President Donald Trump's plan lacking. The order centralizes the federal government in distribution by creating vaccination centers in schools and government buildings, and also brings in thousands of federal workers to staff those sites. Biden said 100 of those centers should be open next month.
Another order signed Thursday expands on Biden's Wednesday order mandating mask wearing on federal properties, also moving to require them on interstate travel including "planes, trains, and buses." People coming to the U.S. via plane will have to wear masks and test negative for COVID-19 before boarding as a way to stop the spread of new coronavirus variants emerging worldwide, Biden also announced. Other orders are aimed at increasing the number of COVID-19 testing sites throughout the U.S. and reopening schools and businesses.
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Biden closed out the event by recommitting to his promise of distributing 100 million coronavirus vaccines in his first 100 days in office — something he denied was too low of a goal, at least for now. Kathryn Krawczyk
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