White House unveils new pandemic response plan

At the State of the Union address Tuesday night, President Joe Biden said the country can “move forward safely, back to more normal routines.” The White House released a 96-page updated COVID-19 response plan Wednesday to focus more on treatments and keeping businesses and schools open.

What is the plan? Biden announced Americans can request four more free COVID-19 tests through the administration’s website. A “test to treat” program would prescribe Pfizer’s antiviral pills at pharmacies for people who test positive. The plan will also earmark more federal funding for research to produce vaccines and treatments quickly for any future variants. It includes a checklist to improve ventilation standards and programs to help children who have lost parents to COVID-19.

Dig deeper: Read my report on The Sift about Pfizer sharing the formula for its coronavirus pill with poorer countries.