More Americans appear to be unclear about the administration's path forward on COVID-19. A July Gallup poll found that 41% of respondents disagree that the CDC has communicated a clear plan of action on COVID-19 compared with 32% who agree.
The same poll found Americans divided over whether Biden has communicated clearly on the pandemic, with 40% saying he has while 42% disagree. The survey marks the first time Americans have not been more positive than negative about Biden's communication on the virus since he was a presidential candidate.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the six-pronged plan would include new steps aimed at both the public and private sectors, requiring more COVID-19 vaccinations, boosting testing measures and making it “safer to go to school.”
Biden, who met with members of his White House COVID-19 response team Wednesday, is expected to focus on schools as children return to in-person learning this fall amid rising fears that classrooms could lead to a surge in cases.
Psaki also said the plan would build on recent actions from the administration including: requiring federal workers to attest to being vaccinated or face routine testing and other mitigation requirements; conditioning federal funding for nursing homes on vaccination of staff; and encouraging private companies to institute vaccine mandates. The Pentagon and the Department of Health and Human Services are also requiring military members and staff to be vaccinated.
“We have more work to do, and we are still at war with the virus and with the delta variant,” Psaki said, adding that the pandemic is “front of mind” for Americans.
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