RELATED: Dr. Fauci Says We’ll Be “Close to Back to Normal” by This Exact Date. During a press conference on May 17, Biden remarked that the date represented a significant “milestone” as it was the first day all 50 states had reported a drop in cases since the pandemic began. But he quickly reminded the public that the fight was still not over, saying: “Now, I can’t promise that will continue this way. We know there will be advances and setbacks, and we know that there are many flare-ups that could occur.” Biden went on to warn the public of the potential for cases to surge again in some places. “If the unvaccinated get vaccinated, they will protect themselves and other unvaccinated people around them. If they do not, states with low vaccination rates may see those rates go up [and we may] may see this progress reversed.” The President went on to point out the vaccines’ effectiveness, saying that those who haven’t yet received their doses will “end up paying the price” in the coming months. “Given that the vaccination is convenient and free, it will be a tragedy if—and a needless one—to see COVID cases among those who do not get vaccinated go up,” he said.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Biden continued to emphasize the importance of the public getting their shots to help finally bring the pandemic to an end, saying: “We are not done fighting this virus. We still have tens of millions left to vaccinate. But we are making significant progress.” RELATED: The CDC Says to “Avoid” Going Here, Even If You’re Vaccinated. But while the President spoke of one major milestone thanks to dropping cases, he also hinted that the following day would bring the announcement of another major achievement. And during a press briefing held by the White House COVID-19 response team on May 17, Rochelle Walensky, MD, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said that 60 percent of people 18 and older in the U.S. had received at least one coronavirus vaccine dose. Walensky also added that more than 4.1 million teens and adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 had already received their first dose of vaccine, days after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized Pfizer’s shots for the younger age group, CNN reports. “We need to continue to ensure vaccination coverage is uniform across the country,” she said. “This will require us to meet people where they are, to listen to their concerns, and to help people make [an] informed decision about vaccination.” The President’s cautioning message also come days after the CDC announced the most significant change in its COVID guidelines to date, suggesting it’s safe for fully vaccinated people to be indoors and outdoors without masks. During an interview with Fox News’s Chris Wallace on May 16, Walensky issued a warning similar to Biden’s that cases could rise again in certain areas if local officials don’t consider the conditions in their jurisdictions before making changes to public health precautions. “I want to make sure everybody understands … we’re not a homogeneous country,” she explained. “There are some places that have more disease than others and less vaccination rates than others, and what I would say is in those communities, they should still be looking within those communities before removing mask policies.” RELATED: Dr. Fauci Says “Herd Immunity” Is No Longer the Goal With COVID—This Is.
