Biden signs 10 executive orders to tackle Covid-19

President Joe Biden has signed 10 executive orders to boost the fight against Covid which has ravaged the US.

Vaccination will be accelerated and testing increased. Emergency legislation will be used to increase production of essentials like masks.

Announcing the moves, Mr Biden said it would take months to defeat the pandemic but America would "get through this" if people stood together.

The moves come a day after Mr Biden was sworn in as the 46th president.

In a break with former President Donald Trump, the policy stresses a national strategy rather than relying on states to decide what is best.

The Trump administration was widely accused of failing to get to grips with the pandemic.

In terms of total deaths from coronavirus, the US is the worst-hit country with more than 406,000 lives lost according to Johns Hopkins University. Nearly 24.5 million have been infected.

What's in the plan?

In his inauguration speech, Mr Biden warned that the coronavirus pandemic in the US was entering its "deadliest period".

Mr Biden's Covid-19 task force co-ordinator, Jeff Zients, told reporters that under Mr Trump there was no strategy at federal level and a comprehensive approach was lacking.

"As President Biden steps into office today, that all changes," he said.

The administration unveiled a seven-point plan which included efforts to facilitate effective distribution of vaccines and reliable access to testing.

"The American people deserve an urgent, robust and professional response to the growing public health and economic crisis caused by the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak," an introduction to the plan said.

It said Mr Biden believed the government "must act swiftly and aggressively to help protect and support" essential workers and the most vulnerable.

Although executive orders do not require congressional approval, much of the funding for the planned measures is contained in a huge $1.9tn stimulus package announced by Mr Biden last week.

He will need co-operation from the Senate and House of Representatives for the package to be adopted smoothly.

The aim is to give 100 million vaccine doses by the end of April, and reopen most schools safely within 100 days.

Vaccine centres will be established at stadiums and community facilities.

There will be more funding for state and local officials to help tackle the pandemic, and a new office will be established to co-ordinate the national response.

The Defense Production Act will be used to speed up production of personal protective equipment and essential supplies needed for vaccine production. Mr Trump used the same piece of legislation to compel the production of items in short supply last year.

On top of the already announced rules on wearing masks and social distancing on all federal government property, face coverings will become mandatory on many planes and trains.

"What we're inheriting is so much worse than we could have imagined," Mr Zients said.

In a further break with the previous administration, Mr Biden's chief medical adviser, Dr Anthony Fauci, said the US would join the Covax scheme designed to deliver Covid vaccines to poor countries.

Speaking by video call to the World Health Organization in Geneva, Dr Fauci also stressed that the US would continue to provide funding for the WHO, in line with Mr Biden's move to reverse Mr Trump's decision to leave.