Administration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr., 2021

April 27, 2021

The President. Good afternoonâthis beautiful afternoon.

Next week, I'll be laying out the path ahead to continue our fight against COVIDâ19 to get us to July 4. This is our target date to get life in America closer to normal and to begin to celebrate our independence from the virus together with our friends and loved ones as weâto celebrate Independence Day.

But before that, I wanted to speak briefly to all of you today about the recent change announced by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC.

Let me say first: While we still have a long way to go in this fight and a lot of work to do in May and June to get us to July 4, we've made stunning progress because of all of you, the American people. Cases and deaths are down, down dramatically from where they were when I took office on January 20, and continuing to fall.

That is particularly true for a group of Americans that we were most worried about when it came to this virus: senior citizens. When I took office in January, we were losing literally tens of thousands of our seniors each week: grandparents who were loved so dearly, moms and dads, pillars of every community, gone by the thousands every day. At that time, less than 1 percent of seniors were fully vaccinated when I took office.

Today, in less than 100 days, more than 67 percentâtwo-thirds of our seniorsâare now fully vaccinated, and more than 80 percent of seniors have had at least one shot. That effort has resulted in a drop of 80 percent in deaths among American seniors, a 70-percent drop in hospitalizations. So instead of losing thousands of seniors each day, we're saving thousands of lives, and more and more as each day goes by.

And by the way, based on reported data, the proportionâthe proportion of seniorsâwho have been vaccinated is essentially equal between White and seniors of color. I said from the beginning that we wereâwe're going to fight this virus with equity, equity for all. As a matter of a fact, if I'm not mistaken, there are more Latinos and African American seniors that have been vaccinated, as a percentage, than White seniors. These numbers are a sign of progress on that front as well.

Now, last week, I announced that we had crossed the threshold of 200 million shots. We've nowâsince Inauguration Day, we have given 215 million shots. And thatâanyone 16 years of age or older is now eligible to get the vaccine: now, today, immediately.

And because of the extraordinary progress we've made in fighting this virus and the progress our scientists have made in learning about how it gets transmitted, earlier today the CDC made an important announcement: Starting today, if you're fully vaccinated and you're outdoors, you needâand not in a big crowdâyou no longer need to wear a mask.

I want to be absolutely clear: If you're in a crowd, like a stadium or at a conference or a concert, you still need to wear a mask even if you're outside. But beginning today, gathering with a group of friends in a park, going for a picnicâas long as you are vaccinated and outdoorsâyou can do it without a mask.

The CDC is able to make this announcement because our scientists are convinced by the data that the odds of getting or giving the virus to others is very, very low if you'reâboth been fully vaccinated and out the open air.

The CDC also have clarified which outdoor activities are safer or less safe, depending on whether you've been vaccinated. The bottom line is clear: If you're vaccinated, you can do more things, more safely, both outdoors as well as indoors. Forâso for those who haven't gotten their vaccination yet, especially if you're younger or thinking you don't need it, this is another great reason to go get vaccinated nowânow.

Yes, the vaccines are about saving your life, but also the lives of the people around you. But they're also about helping youâus get back to closer to normal in our livingâmore normal living: getting together with friends, going to the park for a picnic without needing to mask up.

We're back to that place now as long as you get vaccinated.

So go get this shot. It's never been easier. And once you're fully vaccinated, you can go without a mask when you're outside and away from big crowds.

I want to thank the team at the CDC for everything they're doing to help us lead with science and bring our communities out of this crisis safely and responsibly. And I also want to thank everyone who has gotten the vaccine for doing your patriotic duty and helping us get toâon the path to Independence Day, which I'll be discussing more in detail next week.

In the meantime, I urge all Americans: Don't let up now. Keep following the guidance. Go get your vaccination now. It's free, and it's convenient. Ninety percent of the American people live within 5 miles of a site where you can get a vaccination. You can do this, and we will do this.

Thank you all. And God bless you. And as much as the temptation is to stay outdoors on this beautiful day, I've got more work to do.

Thank you all very, very much. Bye-bye.

Q. Mr. President, if the risk is so low outdoors, why doesn't it apply to everybody?

Q. Mr. President, would you have any preconditions for a meeting with Vladimir Putinâ wait, would you have any preconditions before meeting with Vladimir Putin?

The President. Iâone at a time.

Coronavirus Prevention Efforts

Q. If the risk is so low outdoors, why doesn't this new guidance apply to everybody?

The President. Because the science indicates that this is the most certain way to make sure it doesn't spread: if both people have been vaccinatedâthe people you're withâand you're outside.

Q. And you chose to wear a mask. Sir, you chose to wear a mask.

Q. Do you have any preconditions before meeting with Vladimirââ

Q. You chose to wear a mask as you walked out here. What message were you sending by wearing a mask outside alone?

The President. By watching me take it off and not put it back on until I get inside.

President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin of Russia

Q. Do you have any preconditions before meeting with Vladimir Putin?

The President. I'll discuss that all another day. Thank you.

Q. What have you asked Vice President Harris to do?

U.S. Vaccine and Component Material Support for India/Coronavirus Treatment Assistance

Q. Sir, IndiaâIndia needs medicine. India needs AstraZeneca. Sir, will you make it faster to getâfor them to get the vaccineâthe vaccines we will get soon?

The President. You said India?

Q. India. They're suffering at this moment.

Q. What do you say to the folks in India?

Q. Will you make itââ

The President. Look, I'm sorry. I'm going toâthis is the last question I'll take, and I've hadâI'm really going to be in trouble.

With regard to India, I spoke at length with Modi, the Prime Minister. We are sending immediately a whole series of help that he needs, including providing for thoseâremdesivir and other drugs that are able to deal with this and prevent, in some cases, but recoverâhelp recovery.

Secondly, we are sending the actual mechanical parts that are needed for the machinery they have to build a vaccine. And that's being done as well.

We're also discussingâI've discussed with him when we'll be able to send actual vaccines to India, which would be my intention to do. The problem is, right now, we have to make sure we have other vaccines, like Novavax and others, coming on, probably. And I think we'll be in a position to be able to shareâto shareâvaccines, as well as know-how, with other countries who are in real need.

That's the hope and expectation.

And I might add, when we were in a bind at the very beginning, India helped us. Thank you.

Q. Sir, what have you asked the Vice President to do to help with vaccine skepticism?

Q. How will you decide which countries?

Q. How do you convince those stillââ

NOTE: The President spoke at 1:55 p.m. on the North Lawn at the White House.

Categories: Addresses and Remarks : COVIDâ19 response and national vaccination efforts; Interviews With the News Media : Exchanges with reporters :: White House.

Locations: Washington, DC.

Names: Modi, Narendra.

Subjects: Civil rights : Racial equality; Diseases : Coronavirus, domestic prevention efforts; Health and Human Services, Department of : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Health and medical care : Health care workers, service and dedication; Holidays and special observances

: Independence Day; India : Prime Minister.

DCPD Number: DCPD202100343.