On March 11, Joe Biden gave his first primetime address as president where he emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated for COVID-19 and wearing masks to return to normal in time for the July 4 holiday.
He said, “If we do all this, if we do our part, if we do this together by July Fourth there’s a good chance you and families and friends will be able to get together in your backyard or in your neighborhood and have a cookout or barbecue and celebrate Independence Day. That doesn’t mean large events, with lots of people together but it does mean small groups will be able to get together.”
Aside from the irony of the statement, he warned that if this didn’t go as planned, the U.S. will go into another lockdown.
Biden also ensured if everyone did their part it, “will make this Independence Day truly special – where we not only mark our independence as a nation but we begin to mark our independence from this virus.”
President Biden gave this speech on the one-year anniversary of the “2-week lockdown to slow the spread,” which to some extent, is still in effect.