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Published 08:07 IST, January 15th 2021

Biden: Current vaccine rollout 'a dismal failure'

President-elect Joe Biden called the current rollout of the coronavirus vaccine "a dismal failure" as he highlighted his $1.9 trillion plan to combat the pandemic and provide additional relief.

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President-elect Joe Biden called the current rollout of the coronavirus vaccine "a dismal failure" as he highlighted his $1.9 trillion plan to combat the pandemic and provide additional relief.

The plan, which would require congressional approval, is packed with proposals on health care, education, labor and cybersecurity. Here's a look at some of the highlights:

- A $20 billion national program would establish community vaccination centers across the U.S. and send mobile units to remote communities. Medicaid patients would have their costs covered by the federal government, and the administration says it will take steps to ensure all people in the U.S. can receive the vaccine for free, regardless of their immigration status.

- An additional $50 billion would expand testing efforts and help schools and governments implement routine testing. Other efforts would focus on developing better treatments for COVID-19 and improving efforts to identify and track new strains of the virus

- Stimulus checks of $1,400 per person in addition to the $600 checks Congress approved in December. By bringing payments to $2,000 - an amount Democrats previously called for - the administration says it will help families meet basic needs and support local businesses.

- A temporary boost in unemployment benefits and a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures would be extended through September.

- The federal minimum wage would be raised to $15 per hour from the current rate of $7.25 per hour.

- An emergency measure requiring employers to provide paid sick leave would be reinstated. The administration is urging Congress to keep the requirement through Sept. 30 and expand it to federal employees.

- The child care tax credit would be expanded for a year, to cover half the cost of child care up to $4,000 for one child and $8,000 for two or more for families making less than $125,000 a year. Families making between $125,000 and $400,000 would get a partial credit.

- $15 billion in federal grants to help states subsidize child care for low-income families, along with a $25 billion fund to help child care centers in danger of closing.

08:07 IST, January 15th 2021