LIVE: Biden's COVID-19 team briefs public ahead of transit mask mandate

WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — The White House COVID-19 response team is briefing the nation on the latest response efforts by President Joe Biden's administration, just hours before a mask mandate on U.S. public transportation takes effect.

The team, which includes top infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, started the briefing at around 11 a.m. EST. NewsNation is livestreaming the event in the player above.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an order Friday requiring masks in interstate transportation and at transit hubs, including airplanes, mass transit, taxis and trains.

The CDC said the mask mandate, effective from Monday at 11:59 p.m. EST, also covers ride-share vehicles and subways and makes not wearing a mask as instructed a violation of federal law. The CDC directive follows an order from President Joe Biden on Jan. 21 directing agencies to “immediately take action” to require masks on transportation and at transit hubs.

"Requiring masks on our transportation systems will protect Americans and provide confidence that we can once again travel safely even during this pandemic," the order stated. "Therefore, requiring masks will help us control this pandemic and aid in reopening America's economy."

The new order comes as Fauci warned that the emergence and increasing spread of coronavirus mutations which means that vaccine makers must be ready to make new shots to stay ahead of the public health crisis.

“This is a wake-up call to all of us,” says Fauci, noting government scientists will be working to keep pace with virus mutations.

The South Africa virus variant was first discovered in the U.S. in South Carolina Thursday. Other variants first reported in the United Kingdom and Brazil were previously confirmed in the U.S. 

Nearly 50 million vaccine doses have been distributed across the United States with more than 31.1 million doses administered, according to the CDC. The United States has more than 26.1 million confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 441,000 Americans dead from the virus, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

from WAVY.com https://ift.tt/3anDCeb