Coronavirus: What will Biden do in first 100 days?

US President-elect Joe Biden has said that he will direct Americans to wear masks for his first 100 days in office to limit the spread of coronavirus.

He informed the international news agency that he believed there would be a “significant reduction” in Covid-19 cases if every American wore a face covering.

Mr. Biden also said he would order masks to be worn in all US government buildings.

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What did Biden say?

Democrat Biden said during the interview, “The first day I’m inaugurated to say I’m going to ask the public for 100 days to mask. Just 100 days to mask, not forever. One hundred days.

“And I think we’ll see a significant reduction if we occur that, if that occurs with vaccinations and masking to drive down the numbers considerably.”

Constitutional experts say a US president has no legal authority to order Americans to wear masks, but Mr. Biden said during the interview he and his Vice-President Kamala Harris would set an example by donning face coverings.

The president’s executive authority covers US government property. Biden said during the interview that he intended to exercise such power.

“I’m going to issue a standing order that in federal buildings you have to be masked,” he said.

He added, “Transportation, interstate transportation, you must be masked, airplanes and busses, et cetera.”

Apart from that, Mr. Biden also said he would retain Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease expert, as chief medical adviser to the new administration’s Covid-19 team.