Vaccine push intensifies as variant spreads

President Joe Biden speaks on Delta variant and the COVID-19 vaccine.

VACCINATINGAMERICANS AGAINSTCOVID-19... THIS ASCONCERN OVER THEDELTA VARIANT ISGROWING.

L-E-X 18'SMIKE VALENTE HASMORE ON WHAT THISMEANS FORKENTUCKY.WITHINDEPENDENCE DAYBEHIND US,PRESIDENT JOEBIDEN WANTSAMERICANS TOIMAGINE A FUTUREWHERE WE AREFULLY INDEPENDENTOF COVID-19."THE BOTTOM LINEIS THE VIRUS IS ONTHE RUN ANDAMERICA'S COMINGBACK.

AND WE'RECOMING BACKTOGETHER"BUT WITH THESPREAD OF THEMORETRANSMISSIBLEDELTA VARIANT, THEPRESIDENT ISURGING PEOPLE NOTTO GROWCOMPLACENT.

ASENTIMENT ECHOEDBY SENATE MINORITYLEADER MITCHMCCONNELL TODAY."WE NEED TOFINISH THE JOBAND I KNOWTHERE'S SOMESKEPTICISM OUTTHERE, BUT LET MEPUT IT THIS WAY: ITMAY NOTGUARANTEE YOUDON'T GET IT, BUTIT ALMOSTGUARANTEES YOUDON'T DIE FROM IT"ONLY 47 PERCENT OFTHE U.S.POPULATION ISFULLY VACCINATED.AND HEALTHOFFICIALS WARNTHAT THE DELTAVARIANT POSES AGRAVE DANGER TOCOMMUNITIES WITHLOW VACCINATIONRATES."THE DELTAVARIANT ISPARTICULARLYAGGRESSIVE.

IT'SEASILYTRANSMISSIBLE"ROANYA RICE IS THEHEALTH DIRECTORFOR SPENCER,SHELBY, HENRY, ANDTRIMBLE COUNTIES.SHE SAYS ALL OFTHOSE PLACES HAVEVACCINATION RATESIN THE 30-40PERCENTAGERANGE."IT'S NOT WHEREWE NEED TOBE...NO...THERE'SSTILL MORE WORKTO BE DONE"THE PRESIDENTANNOUNCING TODAYTHAT HE WOULDMOBILIZE COVID-19SURGE RESPONSETEAMS ...MADE UP OFEXPERTS FROMFEMA, THE CDC, ANDOTHER FEDERALAGENICES...TO HELPSTATES WITH LOWVACCINATION RATESCOMBAT THESPREAD OF THEDELTA VARIANT..THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT WILLALSO BE SENDINGMORE VACCINES TOLOCAL PHARMACIES,PRIMARY CAREDOCTORS ANDPEDIATRICIANS.DOCTOR ELIZABETHHAWES OFCOMMONWEALTHPEDIATRICS INLEXINGTONWELCOMES THIS."IT'S NOT ASURPRISE THAT WEDO WELL WHENWE'RE GIVENACCESS TO THECOVID VACCINEBECAUSE LOTS OFPEOPLE HAVEQUESTIONSBECAUSE WHOKNOWS YOURHEALTH BETTERTHAN YOURPRIMARY CAREPROVIDER?"THE PRESIDENTALSO STRESSED AFOCUS ONREACHING PEOPLEWHERE THEY ARE..."NOW WE NEED TOGO TO COMMUNITYBY COMMUNITY,NEIGHBORHOOD BYNEIGHBORHOOD,AND OFTENTIMESLITERALLYKNOCKING ONDOORS TO GETHELP TO THEREMAINING PEOPLEPROTECTED FROMTHE VIRUS"BECAUSE THEVACCINE, HE SAYS, ISSAFE, FREE, ANDWILL SAVE YOURLIFE.

MIKE VALENTE,L-E-X 18 NEWSNANCY:FEMA HAS EXTENDED