Former Assistant Secretary for Health Brett Giroir Friday dismissed President Joe Biden’s plans to restore social gatherings in the United States by July 4, saying that his timeline is far too cautious and that people are already socializing.
“Way back in November, we talked about every American having vaccines available by June, and that was with the vaccines that we had then available, so this is about the same target that we had,” Giroir said on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom.” “It was kind of crazy, what was said about July Fourth.”
During his primetime address, Biden said all adults in the United States would be eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of their age, by May 1, and promised that a return to normalcy would be happening by July 4.
“If you’re an adult and you’re meeting outside,” Giroir, who served as the “testing czar” during former President Donald Trump’s administration, said Friday, “you can do that now. There’s no reason you can’t have outdoor, small gatherings and have a barbecue outside.”
Instead, said Giroir, the nation should be “almost back to normal” by July, with the number of people who are getting their vaccines. “I don’t know what reality he’s talking about.”
Biden’s comments also seemed “very disconnected from the reality and where we are and what the science says,” said Giroir. “Science says small gatherings outdoors is fine.”
He added that he was “sorely disappointed” by what Biden said in his address, even though he’d had high hopes.
“I actually was pained, because it was a lost opportunity for the president to level with and be honest with the American people about the past, present, and future,” Giroir said. “He did none of that, and I think the record needs to be set straight.”
He also said he thinks Americans should be doing even more to return to their pre-pandemic lives and that the nation’s governors should be allowing schools in their states to reopen immediately.
“Schools — it’s a self-inflicted injury for many of the Democratic states,” said Giroir. “In Texas, children have been back in school since August. Every child needs to be back in school right now,” he added.
He said he also thinks that there should be more travel and gatherings as herd immunity grows.
In his speech, Biden offered cautious optimism but encouraged continued vigilance against COVID-19, which has killed more than a half million people in the United States alone.
His remarks came on the heels of the package of the American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion law providing $1,400 payments to Americans, as well as $300 weekly unemployment benefits, expansions of the Child Tax Credit, funding for vaccination distribution, and state and local government aid.
The White House says it will have enough vaccine supply to vaccinate the population by the end of May. So far, approximately 10% of Americans have been fully vaccinated.
Source: Newmax
