President Joe Biden signs 10 executive orders in bid to tackle Covid-19 crisis
21 January 2021, 20:34
President Joe Biden has signed a raft of executive orders aimed at tackling coronavirus in the US on his first full day in office.
Speaking from the White House, President Biden said there has been a "tragic cost" to Donald Trump's failure to act during the pandemic.
Mr Biden labelled the vaccine rollout so far a "dismal failure" and admitted that "things are going to continue to get worse before they get better".
The president told the nation that the death toll will likely top 500,000 next month and said that it will take months to turn things round.
"We will get through this, we will defeat this pandemic," Mr Biden said. "My administration's Covid plan is based on science not politics and truth not denial."
Mr Biden, who was inaugurated on Wednesday, then went on to sign a raft of executive orders aimed at tackling coronavirus in the US.
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The new president has pledged that he will make getting the pandemic under control the pandemic one of the top priorities of his administration.
The US has been badly hit by the virus, recording the world's highest death toll, more than 400,000.
The executive orders that Mr Biden has brought in include requiring mask-wearing in airports and on some public transport, as well as expanding vaccine manufacturing and putting more money into acquiring doses.
They also include school and worker safety guidance, a nationwide approach to testing, and invoking the Defence Production Act for vaccine and personal protective equipment.
Mr Biden has said his plan is to boost vaccines, increase testing, reopen schools and address inequalities that have resulted from the pandemic.
The president added that all arrivals into the US will have to quarantine, as well as test negative before travelling.
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President Biden went on to say it is a "patriotic duty" for Americans to wear a mask, and repeated his request for everyone to "mask up for 100 days" as the vaccine rollout continues.
"History is going to measure if we are up to the task. I believe we are," he said.
"The American people have given so much already but more is required as the health of the nation is at stake.
"We can do this if we stand together," he stated.
In a thinly veiled attack on the previous administration, Mr Biden also promised that the American public will hear from the "real experts" rather than the president.
