Daily coronavirus infections and deaths are falling, but less than 10 percent of the nation has been fully vaccinated against the virus and everyone needs to exercise caution during the coming months.
To that end, the Biden administration is distributing 25 million free, reusable cloth masks to people who may not have one.
Starting in March, the Biden administration will deliver the masks to more than 1,300 community health centers as well as 60,000 food pantries and soup kitchens across the country. The White House says an estimated 12 to 15 million Americans will receive masks as a result of these efforts.
The masks will be "no cost, high-quality, washable and consistent with the mask guidance from the CDC," according to the White House. "All of these masks will be made in America, and will not impact availability of masks for health care workers."
In addition to distributing masks to low-income and homeless people through food banks, the White House is also considering a plan to mail masks directly to Americans' homes which the Trump regime also considered but ultimately abandoned out of concern for the optics.
Sometimes it hits me that we all lost a significant portion of our regular lives to the apathy and cruelty of the previous regime and it's staggering.
Combined with plans to increase vaccinations by millions each week, the Biden administration is doing everything in their power to end the pandemic. But my feelings of optimism are also met with a reminder that it didn't have to be as bad as it was. Those of us still here will never get the time back, but over 500,000 other people are no longer here to make the most of whatever comes next.