President-Elect Joe Biden is planning to present his Build Back Better relief plan, a $1.9 trillion economic COVID-19 relief package, that will that will include millions of dollars for COVID-19 vaccine distribution, along with prioritizing the reopening of schools within the first 100 days of office. 

Biden, who will take office on Jan. 20, is expected to unveil his Build Back Better plan the evening of Thursday, Jan. 14, and voiced the need for, “immediate action to get the virus under control,” via Twitter. 

“We’re in the teeth of this crisis, and we need to take immediate action to get the virus under control. That’s why tomorrow, I’ll be laying out my vaccination and economic rescue package to beat COVID-19 and build back better,” the president-elect tweeted on Jan. 13.

Members of the incoming administration also say additional stimulus payments should also be expected in Biden’s Build Back Better package.

On Wednesday, Brian Deese, Biden’s incoming director of the National Economic Council explained that the president-elect will introduce a two-pronged approach to COVID-19 relief and economic recovery.

“At this moment, the president-elect feels that we need to move aggressively on both rescue and recovery,” Deese said in a video conference with Reuters. “But, we also need to provide significantly more direct relief to families and businesses that are hurting right now.”

Biden has hinted at his approval of $2,000 payments for the past few weeks.

“$600 is simply not enough when you have to choose between paying rent or putting food on the table. We need $2,000 stimulus checks,” Biden tweeted on Jan. 10.

Biden’s nearly two-trillion dollar “Build Back Better” economic recovery package will also urge congress to extend unemployment benefits to more than 10 million Americans facing unemployment due to COVID-19. The president-elect could also increase the federal minimum wage to $15, with the support of Congress.

On Thursday, Jan. 14, California Department of Public Health reported 35,930 new COVID-19 cases, with 552 new COVID-19 related deaths statewide. A total of 31,654 people have died as a result of COVID-19 in California.

In terms of the impact the virus is still having on communities, daily cases continue to break records, which is still impacting regional intensive care unit capacity. On Thursday, Jan. 14, the Orange County Heath Care Agency reported 3,221 new COVID-19 cases, with 16 new COVID-19 related deaths.

In total, Orange County has reported 202,753 cumulative COVID-19 cases, as of Jan. 14. However, the county has also vaccinated more than 56,000 people within the Phase 1A COVID-19 vaccination population. However, technical issues impacting the Othena app, have caused some delays. 

Los Angeles County is set to reach a grim milestone, as the county approaches 1 million total COVID-19 cases. On Wednesday, Jan. 13, the Los Angeles Department of Public Health reported 14,564 new COVID-19 cases, for a total of 958,497 cases.

As the state begins to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine throughout the state, California has established numerous mass vaccination sites including at Disneyland in Orange County and Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles. 

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