The US General Services Administration has now formally “ascertained “ that former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen Kamala Harris have “apparently” been elected as President and Vice President of the United States beginning on January 20,2021, and the the formal transition has begun. In terms of the COVID-19 pandemic, this allows the incoming administration to contact and coordinate with professional staff at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including the Pandemic Task Force within the White House, as the incoming administration prepares a COVID-19 response plan, including a vaccine distribution plan to implement of the first day of the new administration. It is unclear whether Congress will be able to enact any sort of pandemic or economic rescue plan during its lame duck session, especially as the GOP majority in the outgoing Senate has already been reduced by one seat, to 52 to 48, and at least three GOP Senators are in COVID-19 quarantine per CDC protocols.
Senate control in the new Senate is unclear as both US Senate seats from Georgia are in runoffs to be held January 5th, and a Democratic sweep of both seats would lead to a equal division in the Senate, with a Vice President Harris deciding control.
In the meantime, the rate of new cases, new hospitalization, use of of ICU beds and ventilators are reaching all time highs in a majority of states, and that rate of child COVID-19 diagnoses have risen substantially in just the last two weeks (since Halloween) Experts are fearful of what will happen this week for the Thanksgiving holiday as many families and groups are likely to gather ignoring social distancing and mask guidance.