US President Joe Biden said in an interview broadcast on Sunday that “the pandemic is over”, even as the country continues to deal with the coronavirus infections that kill hundreds of Americans every day.
“The pandemic is over,” Biden is quoted as saying.
“We still have a problem with COVID-19. We are still doing a lot of work on it. But the pandemic is over. If you notice, nobody wears masks. Everyone seems to be in pretty good shape. And so I think it is changing”.
The number of cases has fallen sharply since the start of Biden’s term, when more than 3,000 Americans were dying a day, as enhanced care, medicine and vaccinations have become more available.
But nearly 400 people a day continue to die from COVID-19 in the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Biden spent more than two weeks in isolation at the White House after two bouts with COVID-19 starting in July.
His wife Jill contracted the virus in August. Biden has said the mild cases were a testament to improvements in care during his presidency.
Biden has asked Congress for $22.4 billion in more funding to prepare for a possible surge in cases.