Written by Jamie Parsons
Just yesterday, the U.S. finally reached Joe Biden’s goal of getting at least one COVID-19 shot into 70% of American adults, a month overdue of his initial July 4th deadline. The fierce surge of the delta variant has proved problematic, but perhaps his complete lack of authority serves as a better explanation. Biden’s nonexistent vaccination efforts have caused many states to reinstate their COVID-19 precautions, stripping citizens of their freedom: something that Americans are getting fairly accustomed to under the Biden administration.
According to AP News, “New cases per day in the U.S. have increased sixfold over the past month to an average of nearly 80,000, a level not seen since mid-February. And deaths per day have climbed over the past two weeks from an average of 259 to 360.” With the new surge of the delta variant, nearly all deaths and serious illnesses are in unvaccinated people. In other words, the root cause behind the spread of the virus is both the delta variant and unvaccinated people.
As the percentage of unvaccinated people in each state remained low and the rate of COVID-19 cases increased, states took it upon themselves to find a solution. For instance, states such as Louisiana, Minnesota, and California are again requiring masks in all indoor public settings, including schools and universities. States are also requiring workers to get vaccinated or face regular testing. As states continue to place down COVID-19 precautions, they are simultaneously stripping away Americans from their fundamental rights and quality of living.
After reaching Joe Biden’s vaccination goal, states realized the percentage of Americans getting one shot wouldn’t be enough to prevent surges among unvaccinated groups. They uncovered that what truly matters is the number of vaccinations in a given community, not a broad national average. For example, vaccination rates in Southern states are far lower than in New England. Focusing on the vaccination rate on a lower scale will inevitably help the U.S get back to “normal” living by taking on a community-oriented approach.
Overall, the U.S. hit Biden’s vaccination goal of 70% due partly to much of the aid received from state government officials. As Biden failed to take action concerning vaccinations, especially amid a fierce surge of the delta variant, COVID-19 cases began to spike up again, causing states to tackle the problem. With that said, as states now feel the need to take control over this issue, they continue to set in place COVID-19 precautions that fail to provide Americans with their freedom and limit their choice of living.
