President Biden’s previous promises to “shut down the virus” have slowly been walked back after the discovery of the omicron variant, with the president saying the United States will need to “beat it back” before we “shut it down.”
Biden routinely promised on the campaign trail that he would “shut down” the virus if elected. Biden regularly asserted that it was former President Trump’s “ineptitude” that “caused the country to have to shut down in large part,” and assured voters that his administration would take care of the pandemic more efficiently.
However, as the latest variant, omicron, begins popping up in the U.S., the president’s language is less forceful and his promises are less grandiose.
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The president is not the only official tempering previous expectations. Press secretary Jen Psaki similarly expressed concern as the omicron variant continues to draw international speculation.
“I would say, there’s a lot we don’t know about the variant yet,” Psaki said in a Thursday press briefing, when asked about Biden’s pledge to “shut down” the virus. “And that is challenging and frustrating — I understand — for Americans, for all of you. And we want to give the space and time for the public health officials, who are working 24/7, to assess and provide guidance on it.”