{O/C} The pandemic has somehow abated in the U.S., yet most pandemic restrictions are still in force.
Against that backdrop, some impatient states, including Democratic New York, have announced they are considering rolling back COVID curbs.
Still, the White House insists it is drawing up plans to abandon some restrictions, and that following science holds the key to confronting the pandemic.
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COVID infections nationwide have fallen significantly from over 800,000 a day to some 200,000 lately.
This has ginned up intense debate over whether disruptive and draconian COVID curbs should be scrapped once and for all.
New York's governor, who's among those waiting in the wings to drop COVID mandates, announced that New York will be the first to end its anti-virus rule obliging people to wear face coverings in most indoor places, although schools are still subject to the rule.
The same holds true for those living in Illinois.
Earlier this week, New Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware all disclosed plans to join states that have rolled back or never subjected their residents to mask requirements. All but Massachusetts have governors who are Democrats, just like the President.
U.S. President Joe Biden is hemming and hawing as he's waiting for science's instructions to proceed, which is disconcerting for the public.
Hoping to set the record straight, the White House said U.S. President Joe Biden's administration wouldn't brook any criticism about following science, albeit cognisant of the fact people are weary of the coronavirus conundrum.
{Soundbite} JEN PSAKI, White House Press Secretary: We recognise people are tired of the pandemic, they're tired of wearing masks. But again, from the federal government, what our responsibility to do is to abide by what the President committed to on the campaign, which is to listen to scientists, listen to data. That doesn’t move at the speed of politics; it moves at the speed of data.
Be that as it may, the CDC made no bones about the reality. The director laid to rest the rumours that the country is now off the COVID hook.
{Soundbite} DR. ROCHELLE WALENSKY, CDC Director: Our death rates are still high, so as we work towards that and as we are encouraged by the current trends, we are not there yet.
Joe Biden is still getting an earful even from allies of his administration who said it is high time the President drew up a roadmap for moving towards normalcy as infections tail off.
Critics called Biden's hesitation just a sign that he's on the horns of a dilemma because of a fleeting "declaration of independence" from the virus that turned out to be misleading after the Delta and Omicron variants bore down on the country.
Meantime, Wall Street stocks rose today as investors gauge the impact of the pandemic. The Dow Jones added 0.86 percent to close at 35,768 points. Here in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index rose 0.19 percent to wrap up the day at 24,878 points.
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