WASHINGTON — In a significant move on Monday, the White House announced the removal of its COVID-19 testing mandate for individuals who are expected to be in close proximity with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and their respective spouses. This decision marks the termination of the final COVID-19 prevention measure in place at the White House.
The White House clarified that this modification in policy is in line with the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC, last week, eased its previous advice that required individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 to isolate for five days. The updated guidance now states that individuals can resume work or their usual activities if their symptoms are mild, improving, and they have been fever-free for at least a day.
The testing protocol at the White House was first implemented in the early stages of the pandemic in 2020, during the tenure of former President Donald Trump. The protocol was further fortified when President Biden assumed office in January 2021, amidst the ongoing pandemic.
Both former President Trump and President Biden tested positive for the virus while serving in office. Trump was hospitalized after becoming severely ill just weeks before the 2020 presidential election. On the other hand, Biden experienced minimal symptoms when he contracted the virus in the summer of 2022, having already been vaccinated.
As per CDC data, COVID-19 has claimed the lives of more than 1.18 million people in the U.S., and over the past four years, 6.85 million people have been hospitalized due to the virus. However, more than 270 million people in the U.S. have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The widespread availability of vaccines since early 2021 has significantly helped in reducing severe illness and death rates.
Disagree – Safety should still be a top priority, even near political figures like Biden.