US president-elect, Joe Biden has warned that “more people may die” if the Trump administration does not help ensure a smooth transfer of power as the coronavirus pandemic surges across the country.
Mr Biden added that he was hopeful Mr Trump would be “mildly more enlightened” before the incoming president’s inauguration on 20 January.
Despite a public outcry, President Trump’s administration has refused to initiate the traditional transition briefings for the president-elect’s team on national security and policy issues.
Mr Trump is also blocking the President-elect’s team from being briefed on efforts to control the coronavirus pandemic and distribute prospective vaccines.
Speaking alongside vice president-elect Kamala Harris from his makeshift headquarters in Delaware, Mr Biden when quizzed about the Trump administration’s lack of willingness to work with his team, told reporters that, “More people may die if we don’t co-ordinate.
“As my chief of staff would say when we handled ebola – a vaccine is important, but it’s of little use until you’re vaccinated… how do we get over 300 million Americans vaccinated, what’s the game plan?
“It’s a huge undertaking to get it done, prioritise those greatest in need… (The Trump administration) say they have this Warp Speed programme that’s not only dealt with getting vaccines, but also how to distribute this.
“If we have to wait until 20 January to start that planning it puts us behind over a month, a month and a half.”
Mr Biden added that his team is however prepared to lead the country without help from Mr Trump during the transition by dealing “with every individual organisation in the country from business to labour, Republicans and Democrats, to try to pull together a serious and consistent plan so we are ready on day one… it would make it a lot easier if the president would participate… I am hopeful that the president will be mildly more enlightened before we get to 20 January.”
The President-elect also called on Republican senators to step up and pass a bill like the ‘$3-trillion Heroes Act’ to provide much-needed economic relief to the country’s struggling families and businesses now.
“Once we shut down the virus and deliver economic relief to workers and business, then we can start to build back better than before.
“There ought to be at least a dozen [Republican senators] who have the courage to stand up and save lives and jobs now.”
Mr Biden added that he and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have received “a mandate from the American people” to bolster cooperation between Democrats and Republicans and voters “want us to deliver results.”
He further warned Monday that as many as 20 million Americans face the looming prospect of mortgage defaults and evictions when a moratorium expires at the end of the year.
The President-elect has vowed to spend trillions of dollars to reinvigorate US manufacturing, expand healthcare coverage and combat climate change, among other priorities.
“We agree that we can’t just go back on the economy,” Mr Biden said.
“I don’t want to be falsely optimistic,” he added. “I think we can do this.”
