Joe Biden Blames Holiday Infections for ‘Toughest Months’ of Coronavirus Pandemic in the New Year

President-elect Joe Biden warned Americans Tuesday they would face a spike in coronavirus cases and deaths in the new year, thanks to Americans traveling and gathering during the holidays.

“We have to anticipate that the infections over the holidays will produce soaring case counts in January and surging death tolls into February,” Biden warned in a speech in Delaware on Tuesday.

The president-elect predicted that the United States would not see an improvement in coronavirus numbers until March.

“The next few months are going to be very tough, the toughest during this entire pandemic,” he said.

Biden was more critical of President Donald Trump’s administration for failing to vaccinate enough Americans before the end of the year.

“The Trump administration’s plan to distribute vaccines is falling behind, far behind,” he claimed. He promised to ramp up vaccinations dramatically after taking office in January, demanding more funding from Congress.

He congratulated Congress and President Trump for signing the bloated coronavirus relief bill, but said it was only a “downpayment” in what was needed to fight the pandemic.

Biden also repeated that he would mandate masks federally in areas where he had the authority to do so.

“Masking has become a divisive issue in this country, but COVID is a killer in red states and blue states alike,” Biden said, urging Americans to encourage family and friends to wear a mask.

Biden praised former New Jersey Chris Christie for encouraging Americans to wear a mask and suggested that Trump do the same.

“I hope that President Trump will listen to him, he can do it too,” Biden said. “It would make a huge difference.”

Biden complained that more people should wear masks, describing it as their “patriotic duty.”

He also advised President Trump to take the coronavirus vaccine to boost public confidence in the safety of the vaccine.

Biden said that 60,000 – 100,000 lives could be saved if only Americans follow public health advice to wear masks and avoid gatherings outside the home.

“It’s not small what we are asking of you, but we are in this together,” Biden said. “Actions we take now are going to help us contain the pandemic and get us back to our lives and our loved ones.”