Joe Biden to deliver a Thanksgiving address seeking US unity

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden is slated to deliver a Thanksgiving address to the nation seeking to unify Americans in the face of the coronavirus pandemic as experts warn of a possible spike in cases resulting from the holiday.

Biden’s transition team said the president-elect will “discuss the shared sacrifices Americans are making this holiday season and say that we can and will get through the current crisis together.” His remarks come as COVID-19 cases are surging nationwide, with the nation averaging 165,000 new virus cases per day as of Tuesday, up more than 70% in two weeks, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Hospitalizations, deaths and the testing positivity rate are also up sharply as the nation approaches Thanksgiving, and public health experts have warned that the large family gatherings expected for the holiday are likely to extend and exacerbate the surge.

Biden has said turning the tide of the pandemic will be the top priority of his administration once he takes office in January, and he’s made multiple public remarks urging Americans to embrace mask-wearing and social distancing guidelines to combat the spread. The Democratic president-elect formed a coronavirus advisory board of scientists, doctors and public health experts, and he plans to establish a COVID-19 coordinator in the White House to lead his administration’s response.

This week, however, Biden focused beyond the crisis stateside and unveiled his national security team on Tuesday, including his nominees for secretary of state, director of national intelligence and U. S. ambassador to the United Nations. Drawing implicit contrasts with President Donald Trump throughout the event, Biden... (Read more)

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