WASHINGTON â Since President Joe Biden took office, heâs talked about two goals more than any others â ending the COVID-19 pandemic to ignite a jobs boom, and uniting a politically divided country.
As he approaches his 100th day as president on Thursday, itâs clearer than ever that those two goals are interwoven, and success with the first may not be possible without the second. As much progress as Biden has overseen in the nationâs public health campaign, the mission is far from accomplished.
So politicized was the pandemic response Biden inherited that polls consistently show Republicans are more resistant to getting vaccinated, and public health leaders say the daily number of shots delivered could begin to slow down, even as supplies have become more readily available. What began as a logistical success â the United States has vaccinated a greater percentage of its population than almost any other nation â risks becoming bogged down just as Biden is pushing toward the finish line.