Two years after the World Health Organization proclaimed the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic, the White House is still erring on the side of caution when it comes to the virus.
But some Democrats are bucking President Joe Biden, betting they will have better electoral prospects if they move on from the public health crisis and focus on fixing its far-reaching economic consequences amid record-high inflation.
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The White House dealt with “several false dawns” during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to former Republican operative John Pitney, including Biden’s “summer of freedom” promise that became a warning of “a winter of severe illness and death” for the unvaccinated.
“So the White House is understandably reluctant to declare victory,” the Claremont McKenna College politics professor told the Washington Examiner.
The COVID-19 pandemic’s shift toward becoming an endemic problem as the number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths decline has also been overshadowed by the world order-threatening Russia-Ukraine war, Pitney added.
“In the short term, the most important thing is to keep encouraging vaccination,” The Politics of Autism author said. “The danger is that a combination of complacency and anti-vax activism could slow our progress on vaccines and boosters.”
Biden’s timidity is at odds with other Democratic leaders, such as New York City Mayor Eric Adams, denying himself a win regarding COVID-19. Adams was photographed this week pressing a napkin with the words, “Lift the mandates,” against the window of Veselka, a Ukrainian restaurant. His note coincided with his town’s first day without indoor vaccine rules.
“It’s now time for New Yorkers to have their city and enjoy it again,” he said hours before.
Polling does suggest almost four-fifths of adults are ready to return to normal, according to an Economist/YouGov study. Yet conversely, research indicates people are split on whether it is safe to resume pre-pandemic life right now. Roughly a third consider it to be safe now, about 20% believe it will be safe in the second half of 2022 or after 2022, and 10% think it will be safe in the first half of 2022. Another 10% do not believe it will ever be safe.
At the same time, a majority of 54% are not concerned regarding COVID-19 anymore. Approximately 46% of Economist/YouGov respondents are very or somewhat worried regarding the virus compared to 28% who are not too anxious and 26% who are not apprehensive at all.
The Economist/YouGov polling is just one survey contributing to Biden’s overall average net negative 9 percentage points approval rating, according to RealClearPolitics. And while Biden’s average COVID-19 management approval is a slightly better net negative 3 points, more than two-thirds of the public is pessimistic regarding his leadership, and less than a third is optimistic before this year’s midterm elections and as a freedom convoy circles the capital.
“I know some are talking about ‘living with COVID-19,'” he said during his State of the Union. “I say that we never will just accept living with COVID-19; we’ll continue to combat the virus as we do other diseases.”
Despite the naysayers, “normal” feels closer than ever as mask and vaccination mandates are rolled back across the country after case counts fell following the delta and omicron COVID variant waves. For instance, Hawaii Democratic Gov. David Ige announced this week he is canceling the country’s last statewide face covering order on March 26 after almost two years. Oregon and Washington governors retracted their own measures on Friday.
The White House, itself, embraced the Washington, D.C. mask mandate reversal this month, although Mayor Muriel Bowser did lag behind Centers of Disease Control and Prevention guidance for low COVID transmission areas. Simultaneously, the administration clarified Thursday it is retaining its federal transportation face covering regulations until April 18, applicable air, rail, and bus travel. The directive was due to expire on March 18.
Press secretary Jen Psaki also reiterated Thursday Biden’s demand for $16 billion in new COVID spending as part of Democrats’ $1.5 trillion omnibus funding bill aimed at avoiding a government shutdown and providing $13.5 billion in emergency Ukrainian humanitarian aid and security assistance. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi earlier pulled the pandemic language after Republicans balked at more virus cash following the $2 trillion American Rescue Plan last year. Democrats could not agree either on how to finance vaccines, testing, and antivirals, as well as research and development regarding future variants and the international immunization program.
“We need this money, so without additional resources from Congress, the results are dire,” Psaki told reporters. “Failing to take action now will have severe consequences for the American people.”
In the meantime, Pitney encouraged the White House to start preparing for future pandemics and public health challenges.
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“Without engaging in partisan rhetoric, it should carefully assess what went wrong two years ago and make plans for doing better the next time,” he said of the administration. “And there will be a next time.”
