'The experts say we know that this virus is, in fact, uh, um, uh, it's going to be, or excuse me': Biden loses his thoughts on vaccines, flubs answer on his foreign policy work and falsely tells town hall you WON'T get COVID if you have the shot

  • President Joe Biden stumbled through Wednesday night's CNN town hall when he issued a series of gaffes, lost thoughts and false statements 
  • 'You're OK. You're not going to – you're not going to get COVID if you have these vaccinations,' Biden falsely assured 
  • He also said no vaccinated individuals will be hospitalized, sent to the ICU or die
  • Biden repeatedly gave confusing, misleading and non-linear answers when discussing masks, national security issues and COVID-19 vaccine approval  
  • There are breakthrough cases of coronavirus in vaccinated individuals, and some cases result in death – thought the rate  much higher in the unvaccinated
  • Biden revealed unvaccinated children, including all those under 12, will have to wear masks in school when CDC releases new guidance 
  • He is optimistic vaccines will soon be approved for children under the age of 12 

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Joe Biden overinflated the efficiency of vaccines, especially against the Delta variant, during his gaffe-filled town hall on Wednesday where he claimed the jab will prevent Americans from contracting coronavirus

'We're not in the position where we think that any virus, including the Delta virus, which is much more transmissible and more deadly in terms of unvaccinated people, the – the various shots that people are getting now cover that,' Biden said during a CNN town hall in Cincinnati, Ohio on Wednesday.

'You're OK,' he assured. 'You're not going to – you're not going to get COVID if you have these vaccinations.'

This statement is false considering vaccinated Americans have still contracted or have been hospitalized with the virus and breakthrough cases are increasing with the rapid spread of the Delta variant. 

'If you're vaccinated, you're not going to be hospitalized, you're not going to be in the IC unit, and you're not going to die,' the president told host Don Lemon on stage at Mount St. Joseph University.

'So it's gigantically important that ... we all act like Americans who care about our fellow Americans,' he added. 

Biden struggled at some points during his town hall to complete statements coherently as he lost his train of thought on multiple occasions.

Republicans were quick to jump on the president's gaffes. 'Is this for real?' Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik tweeted on Wednesday. 

'And the media will continue to fawn and look the other way,' the New York Republican added. 

At one point, when talking about getting vaccinations approved for children under the age of 12, the president said: 'That's underway, just like the other question that's illogical. And I've heard you speak about it because you always – I'm not being solicitous – but you're always straight up about what you're doing.'

'And the question is whether or not we should be in a position where you uh, um, are – why can't the, the, the experts say we know that this virus is, in fact, uh, um, uh, it's going to be – or, excuse me, we, we, we know why all the drugs approved are not temporarily approved by permanently approved. That's underway too. I expect that to occur quickly,' Biden continued as he fumbled over his words. 

President Joe Biden (left) stumbled through Wednesday night's CNN town hall with Don Lemon (right) in Cincinnati when he issued a series of gaffes, lost thoughts and false statements

President Joe Biden (left) stumbled through Wednesday night's CNN town hall with Don Lemon (right) in Cincinnati when he issued a series of gaffes, lost thoughts and false statements 

'You're OK. You're not going to – you're not going to get COVID if you have these vaccinations,' the president falsely assured

'You're OK. You're not going to – you're not going to get COVID if you have these vaccinations,' the president falsely assured 

'Uh, um, uh, it's going to be – or, excuse me, we, we': Biden fumbling over his words during CNN town hall

Response to question on how to prevent misinformation

'There are trusted interlocutors. Think of the people — if your kid wanted to find out whether or not there were — there’s a man on the moon, or whatever — you know, something, or, you know, whether those aliens are here or not — you know, who are the people they talk to beyond the kids who love talking about it? They go to people they respect, and they say, “What do you think?”' 

Response to question about Capitol Riot conspiracy theorists 

'This is not who we are. And I’ll say one last thing — and you’re going to — I’ve had a lot of experience internationally. And I mean that — not good or bad, just I have; I’ve chaired the Foreign Relations Committee. I’ve been deeply involved. I did national security for the — our last — the — the — the administration with Barack.' 

Response to question on vaccines for children

And the question is whether or not we should be in a position where you uh, um, are – why can't the, the, the experts say we know that this virus is, in fact, uh, um, uh, it's going to be – or, excuse me, we, we, we know why all the drugs approved are not temporarily approved by permanently approved. That's underway too. I expect that to occur quickly,'

Response to question on restaurants struggling to wind workers

'My — my deceased wife’s father-in-law was a restauranteur up in — up in Syracuse, New York. And, by the way, he tried to con- — he had a — had a restaurant that was in a town called Auburn, about 20,000 people, which was at a flagship 24-hour-a-day restaurant that — and he offered it to me, which I would have been making five times what I would in law school to try to keep me in Syracuse.

'But I spent too many times at home hearing a — in his home, hearing a phone call: “The cook didn’t come in? He’s in a fight with his wife? What — what’s going on?”

Response to question on whether his unemployment benefits stopped people going back to work

'I see no evidence it had any serious impact on it. But you can argue — let’s assume it did. It’s coming to an end, so it’s not like we’re in a situation where — if that was it and it ends, then we’re going to see John is going to have no problem. 

'But what I think is happening, folks, is, look, if you make less than fift- — and I’m not saying, John, your folks make less than 15 — you had good restaurants; that means their tips are good, people make a lot more than just what the — what the minimum wage — what the wage is being paid on with the — put tips on top of it.'

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'You mean for the FDA,' Lemon clarified.

Biden replied: 'For the FDA' 

Here, the president got off track on his answer about getting emergency use authorization for vaccines in children under 12 years of age.

He went on to discuss that the Food and Drug Administration is working on getting full authorization for the use of the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines – the three administered in the U.S.

Currently all three shots are only under emergency use authorization, which is a special provision for vaccinations and medicines to be given the go ahead for use in the U.S. before they gain full FDA approval. 

Grabien Media founder Tom Elliott posted a video of Biden's interaction with Lemon about vaccines and sarcastically wrote: 'Crushing it.' 

Another user asked for a translation, claiming: 'I did not understand a single sentence.' 

Many posted images of the mostly-empty auditorium, questioning why CNN and Biden weren't able to fill all of the seats.

The network, however, insists that the audience of around 300 on Wednesday evening was the typical size for pre-pandemic CNN town halls. 

When speaking about national security, Biden also lost his words when declaring his qualifications to speak on the matter.

'And I'll say one last thing: You're going to – I've had a lot of experience internationally and – I mean, not good or bad, just I have – I chaired the Foreign Relations Committee, I've been deeply involved,' he said.

'I did national security for our last – the administration with Barack,' he said. 'But folks, the rest of the world's wondering about us. Those of you who travel abroad, it's not a joke. Not a joke.'

He continued to ramble in saying: 'Ask — you know, when I went to this G7, all the major democracies. I walked in and go, 'America's back.' I'm serious, heads of state. I give you my word as a Biden. They said, 'Are you really back?' 

Biden said during the town hall that unvaccinated students, including those 12 and under who are not eligible for the shot, will have to wear masks in school. He revealed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will issue new guidance.

The president said tackling misinformation online was one of his top priorities and said he welcomed the way vaccine skeptics on Fox News had made a U-turn in recent days. 

The first questioner of the night, a member of a school board, asked for Biden's message to parents worried about protecting children too young for vaccines.

He said he was optimistic that children under 12 would be approved for vaccination in the coming months before unveiling future guidelines.

'The CDC is going to say that what we should do is, everyone under the age of 12 should probably be wearing a mask in school, that's probably what's going to happen,' he said 

'Secondly, those over the age of 12, who are able to get vaccinated if you're vaccinated, you shouldn't wear a mask if you aren't vaccinated, you should be wearing a mask.' 

That will come with responsibilities for parents, he added.

'So it's going to get a little bit tight in terms of well, are mom or dad being honest that... Johnny did or did not get vaccinated,' he said. 'That's gonna raise questions.'

COVID-19 cases have nearly tripled across the U.S. as doctors battle the Delta variant and a pandemic of misinformation that is being spread online. Deaths and hospitalizations are nearly all among the unvaccinated. 

While the vast majority of hospitalizations – around 97 per cent – are among those who are not vaccinated, many who did get inoculated are contracting the virus as the Delta variant surges across the country. 

A pediatrician who voted Republican said at the town hall she was worried about the impact of misinformation on social media. Only 12 people, the president said in repeating a White House talking point, are responsible for most of the misinformation online.  

'They're killing people those 12 individuals,' he said. 'That misinformation is going to kill people, not a joke, not a joke.'

Then he delivered some good news about 'one of those other networks that is not a big fan of mine' - a clear reference to Fox News.  

'If you notice, as they say, in the southern part of my state, they've had an altar call some of those guys,' he said.

All of a sudden they are out there saying let's get vaccinated. The very people who before this were saying...'

He cut himself off with a smile. 

'But I shouldn't make fun,' he said. 'It's good, it's good.

Sean Hannity, one of Fox's primetime stars, has been urging viewers to get vaccinated.

And this week, during a discussion about deaths of unvaccinated people, the Fox & Friends host Steve Doocy also told viewers: 'Get the shot, it will save your life.'

The audience - which Lemon said had all been vaccinated - responded warmly when Biden appeared on stage, even in an apparently heavily pro-Trump area. 

Questions included what was he doing to tackle gun violence and his plans for replacing crumbling infrastructure, a hot topic in Cincinnati where the ageing Brent Spence Bridge is frequently shut to traffic.

He also took the chance to repeat talking points that are familiar to anyone tuning in to one of his video addresses but may not have been seen by busy, working families.

A surge in consumer prices would be temporary, he promised, adding that his economic plan would drive down inflation in the long term. 

'The vast majority of the experts, including Wall Street, are suggesting that it's highly unlikely that it's going to be long-term inflation that's going to get out of hand,' he said.

Biden's $1 trillion infrastructure plan suffered a setback on Wednesday, as Republicans rejected his proposals in a vote. The bipartisan group of senators who negotiated the package said they were close to reaching a new deal in a statement after the vote. 

The president insisted he remained confident. 'It's a good thing and I think we're going to get it done,' he said.

Ohio was once a key swing state that could deliver the White House to one candidate to another. But in recent years it has moved firmly into the red column.

Biden's visit reflects his enduring belief that he can cross America's political divides by appealing directly to voters.  

Republicans immediately pounced on the president's stumbles, with Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik questioning: 'Is this for real?'

Republicans immediately pounced on the president's stumbles, with Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik questioning: 'Is this for real?'

Grabien Media founder sarcastically quipped, 'Crushing it' along with a video of Biden fumbling over his words and losing his train of thought several times

Grabien Media founder sarcastically quipped, 'Crushing it' along with a video of Biden fumbling over his words and losing his train of thought several times

FACT CHECK REVEALS BIDEN FALSELY CLAIMED VACCINE WOULD PREVENT COVID AND HIS ADMINISTRATION HOLDS SIX-MONTH JOBS RECORD

President Joe Biden offered an absolute guarantee Wednesday that people who get their COVID-19 vaccines are completely protected from infection, sickness and death from the coronavirus. The reality is not that cut and dried.

The vaccines are extremely effective but 'breakthrough' infections do occur and the delta variant driving cases among the unvaccinated in the U.S. is not fully understood.

Also Biden inflated the impact of his policies on U.S. jobs created in his first half-year in office, misleadingly stating his administration had done more than any other president. He neglects to mention he had population growth on his side in his comparison.

A look at his remarks in a CNN town hall:

PANDEMIC

BIDEN: 'If you're vaccinated, you're not going to be hospitalized, you're not going to be in the IC unit, and you're not going to die.'

THE FACTS: His remark accurately captures the strong protection the COVID-19 vaccines provide as cases spike among people who have resisted the shots. But it overlooks the rare exceptions.

As of July 12, the government had tallied 5,492 vaccinated people who tested positive for coronavirus and were hospitalized or died. That's out of more than 159 million fully vaccinated Americans. The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said '99.5 per cent of all deaths from COVID-19 are in the unvaccinated.'

___

BIDEN: 'You're not going to get COVID if you have these vaccinations.'

THE FACTS: Again, he painted with too broad a brush as he described in stark terms the disparity between those who got their shots and those who haven't. The disparity is real, but a small number of breakthrough infections happen and health officials say they are not a cause for alarm.

No vaccines are perfect, and the government is keeping a close eye on whether new coronavirus mutants start to outsmart the COVID-19 shots. But for now, federal health officials say even when breakthrough infections occur, they tend to be mild - the vaccines so far remain strongly protective against serious illness.

___

BIDEN, when asked after the town hall about vaccinated people who get infected: 'It may be possible, I know of none where they're hospitalized, in ICU and or have passed away so at a minimum I can say even if they did contract it, which I'm sorry they did, i's such a tiny percentage and it's not life threatening.' 

THE FACTS: Once again, too far. That is evident from the CDC's finding that 5,492 vaccinated people who tested positive for coronavirus were hospitalized or died as of July 12. That's not 'none.' But he is correct that it is a small percentage of the more than 159 million fully vaccinated Americans.

___

BIDEN: 'Now, by the way, remember when I first got elected, the issue was, well, I said I was going to do a million shots a week, and people said, 'Biden can't do that' or "Biden team can't do that." And it was 2 million.'

FACTS: Biden's initial goal was 1 million shots a day, not a week, in his first 100 days. His target was 100 million shots in the first 100 days. He then raised it to 200 million when the administration easily reached the target.

 

JOBS

BIDEN: 'We've created more jobs in the first six months of our administration than any time in American history. No president, no administration, has ever created as many jobs.' 

THE FACTS: His claim is misleading.

While Biden's administration in the first half year as president has seen more jobs created than any other president - just over 3 million in the five months tracked by jobs reports - that's partly because the U.S. population is larger than in the past.

When calculated as a percentage of the workforce, job growth under President Jimmy Carter increased more quickly from February through June 1977 than the same five months this year: 2.2 per cent for Carter, compared with 2.1 per cent for Biden.

Since the late 1970s, the U.S. population has grown by more than 100 million people.

It's true, though, that the economy is growing rapidly - it expanded at a 6.4 per cent annual rate in the first three months of the year - and is expected to grow this year at the fastest pace since 1984.

Biden's $1.9 trillion rescue package contributed to the vigorous growth, but much of the expansion also reflects a broader bounce-back from the unusually sharp pandemic recession, the deepest downturn since the 1930s. Even before Biden's package, for example, the International Monetary Fund was projecting U.S. growth of over 5 per cent for this year.

Biden is also leaving out the fact that the U.S. economy remains 6.8 million jobs short of its pre-pandemic level, and the unemployment rate is an elevated 5.9 per cent, up from a five-decade low of 3.5 per cent before the pandemic.

 

CAR PRICES 

BIDEN: Said the price of a car is 'kind of' back to the same as it was 'before the pandemic'.

FACTS: New car prices are significantly higher than then they were before the onset of the pandemic. According to the Consumer Price Index, new and used cars were 20% higher in June 2020 than they were in January 2020. That was 19% higher again on prices from June 19%.

 

CHILD TAX CREDIT

BIDEN: 'It's called the child tax credit. If you have a child under the age of 7, you get 300 bucks a month -- 350 bucks a month. If you have a child under -- between 7 and 17, you get a total of 200 bucks a month. 

FACTS: The age groups used to determine the brackets are 6 to 17 and not 7 to 17 as Biden suggested. Parents receive up to $250 a month for each child between 6 and 17 and $350 for those under 6.

 

NONCOMPETE CLAUSES

BIDEN: He criticized clauses in contracts that restrict employees' abilities to move jobs in a similar industry by saying, 'you have over 600,000 people out there signing - 6 million people signing a - I better check the number -- of -- signing noncompete agreements. Not because they have ... any secret, but because they were working for one fast-food restaurant, and they're told they can't get 10 cents more going across town, going to the other fast-food restaurant. Why? To keep wages down.

FACTS: The numbers he used were not close to the real figures. A White House document published on July 9 suggests there are between 36 and 60 million workers under noncompete clauses, based off figures from the Economic Policy Institute. 

 

'UP TO 20 REPUBLICANS' SIGNING LETTER SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE

BIDEN: 'You had up to 20 Republicans sign a letter saying, "We think we need this deal. We think we need this deal",' Biden said when discussing the bipartisanship in the ongoing negotiations over his infrastructure bill.

FACTS:  Republican Sen. Rob Portman said 11 Republican senators sent a letter to Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer suggesting they would vote no in the procedural vote on Wednesday. All 50 Republicans ended up voting against advancing the bill. Schumer is now trying to push through negotiations to launch another vote on Monday. 

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Biden faced questions on protecting children from COVID, replacing crumbling infrastructure, defunding the police, rebuilding the economy, tackling coronavirus misinformation and more

Biden faced questions on protecting children from COVID, replacing crumbling infrastructure, defunding the police, rebuilding the economy, tackling coronavirus misinformation and more 

Vaccination rates in the U.S. have taken a massive dive over the summer, and reports indicate the administration is grappling with out to encourage hesitant Americans to get inoculated

Vaccination rates in the U.S. have taken a massive dive over the summer, and reports indicate the administration is grappling with out to encourage hesitant Americans to get inoculated

The coronavirus Delta variant, which was first detected in India, has emerged in hundreds of U.S. cities now makes up 83 per cent of COVID cases in America

The coronavirus Delta variant, which was first detected in India, has emerged in hundreds of U.S. cities now makes up 83 per cent of COVID cases in America

U.S. President Joe Biden talks with Robert Guthrie, instructor and IBEW Local 212 Journeyman Wireman, and apprentice Nicholas Patton at an IBEW/NECA union electrician training center in Cincinnati, Ohio

U.S. President Joe Biden talks with Robert Guthrie, instructor and IBEW Local 212 Journeyman Wireman, and apprentice Nicholas Patton at an IBEW/NECA union electrician training center in Cincinnati, Ohio 

'Half of life is showing up, and Joe Biden shows up,' John Anzalone, Biden's presidential campaign pollster, told the Associated Press. 

'He's going to be a president for people who voted for him and people who voted against him.' 

The state faces a particularly lively election next year following the retirement of Sen. Rob Portman, one of the more centrist Republicans who was involved in negotiating the bipartisan $973 billion infrastructure plan that now hangs in the balance. 

'President Joe Biden will visit a great city suffering from devastating levels of violent crime caused by the failed leadership of Democrat Mayor John Cranley,' said Ohio Republican Party Chair Bob Paduchik, before the visit. 

Before the town hall in Cincinnati, Biden visited a training center for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers to discuss his policies to create union jobs. 

'The alarm goes off we're going to run,' he joked as he walked into an area where apprentices are taught how to install and repair fire alarms.  

He met an apprentice and heard about training programs.

Biden said 'unions are the best' when it comes to training, saying they 'built the middle class.' 

 

EXCLUSIVE: Do you want to pay $50 for a hamburger, Joe? Furious restaurant owners vent at Biden for telling them to raise wages which they say will lead to MORE inflation and drive them ALL out of business

By JENNIFER SMITH FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Restaurant owners are lashing out at President Biden for telling them they have to raise wages in order to attract staff, a move they say will drive inflation, put them out of business and shows how little he understands about the country's labor crisis.  

There are still more than 12million people in America claiming some kind of unemployment (5.9 percent) and first-time claims rose to 419,000 last week, the highest in nearly two months. At the end of 2019, the number of unemployed was 5.8million (3.5 percent). 

The states with the highest unemployment rates - (over 7 percent, 2 percent more than the national average), are California, Connecticut, DC, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico and New York, all of which are Democrat states. 

Despite the huge number of people who are out of work, restaurant owners and other bosses are struggling to hire thanks to inflated unemployment benefits which are $300 more a week than they were before the pandemic. Now, people can earn just as much, if not more, by doing nothing than they would have done in many jobs before COVID. 

At a town hall in Cincinnati on Wednesday night, President Biden was asked by restaurant owner John Lanni what his administration was going to do to end the staff shortages. He replied by telling Lanni that he should increase wages and that the reason restaurants were struggling to hire people was that workers were considering 'different opportunities'. 

But restaurant owners in New York City, where the minimum wage is already $15, say the President - who has never run a business - is detached from reality.  They say that they already run on razor-thin margins and are in the red after 18 months of punitive lockdowns in varying forms.

They say the only way to bring restaurant staff back is to get rid of the high unemployment payments keeping them at home. If they are forced to increase wages to attract staff, they say they have no choice but to increase the prices on their menus too. It'll put customers off and eventually, put them out of business.

Republican lawmakers slammed Biden's remarks as 'patronizing' and 'out of touch' on Thursday and said he created the shortages by paying people too much to stay at home. 

John Stratidis, the manager of The Famous Cozy Soup 'n' Burger in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, told DailyMail.com on Thursday that raising wages would punish consumers and eventually put people off dining out.   

John Stratidis, the manager of The Famous Cozy Soup 'n' Burger diner in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, told DailyMail.com on Thursday that raising wages would punish consumers and eventually put people off dining out. 'You're going to be walking in somewhere to eat something and paying$40 or $50 for a hamburger,' he said

John Stratidis, the manager of The Famous Cozy Soup 'n' Burger diner in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, told DailyMail.com on Thursday that raising wages would punish consumers and eventually put people off dining out. 'You're going to be walking in somewhere to eat something and paying$40 or $50 for a hamburger,' he said 

Stratidis hasn't been able to hire back most of the staff he let go in COVID. On Thursday it was just him, one other server and three chefs in the diner which has dozens of covers

Stratidis hasn't been able to hire back most of the staff he let go in COVID. On Thursday it was just him, one other server and three chefs in the diner which has dozens of covers

'When minimum wage goes up, who do you think is going to pay for that? The customer. Everything is going to go up just to be able to stay in business. When we give more money, the prices go up and when the prices go up who's going to pay for that? 

'They're going to be crying about it, and saying "it's too expensive". That's inflation. You're going to be walking in somewhere to eat something and paying $40 or $50 for a hamburger.' 

'We need to get back to reality. A lot of people are in this bubble... the longer we stay closed, the bigger this becomes. We're already in trouble.

 'When minimum wage goes up, who do you think is going to pay for that? The customer...You're going to be walking in somewhere to eat something and paying $40 or $50 for a hamburger.' 
John Stratidis, the manager of the Cozy Soup N Burger diner in Manhattan's Greenwich Village

'If we don't get back to work and get the ball running, we're going to be in trouble.'

When COVID started, Stratidis said he had to let go of all of his staff. On Thursday, there were five workers there - three chefs, one other front-of-house server and him. 

He says he still can't afford to bring any more staff back, and that competing with generous unemployment makes it even harder. The only solution he sees is to cut the unemployment benefits that are keeping people at home.  

'Everyone is chilling right now, collecting $1,200 in unemployment benefits. What happens when those stop in September? When unemployment stops, poverty starts. If there are no restaurants, where are you going to work?' 

Robert Mahon, owner of Broadstone, Toro Loco and Amor Loco,  in New York City, said Biden must also replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, which allotted $20billion to 100,000 restaurants. Republican lawmakers are pushing for an additional $60billion to be added to it.   

 

Joe Biden talks of his pride at Hunter's recovery from addiction as he calls for more federal resources for addicts and mandatory rehab rather than prison for drug use

President Biden spoke passionately about his son Hunter's recovery from drug addiction on Wednesday evening as he demanded more federal resources for addicts and for mandatory rehab to replace incarceration.

Amid questions about COVID-19 and the economy, the moment brought one of the most animated responses from the president. 

'I am so damn proud of my son,' he told CNN host Don Lemon on stage at Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, Ohio

'My son just wrote a book about how he overcame being addicted and he did it and he's doing it and he's in good shape, thank God.' he said.

President Biden's spoke passionately about his son Hunter's recovery from addiction as he laid out his four-point plan for ensuring that addicts get the help they need

President Biden's spoke passionately about his son Hunter's recovery from addiction as he laid out his four-point plan for ensuring that addicts get the help they need

The president spoke of his pride at the way his son Hunter had overcome addiction. 'My son just wrote a book about how he overcame being addicted and he did it and he's doing it and he's in good shape,' said Biden

The president spoke of his pride at the way his son Hunter had overcome addiction. 'My son just wrote a book about how he overcame being addicted and he did it and he's doing it and he's in good shape,' said Biden

Hunter has been a favorite target of conservative critics, who have delighted in his troubles and accused him repeatedly of cashing in on the family name.

Biden used his example and experience to set out a series of solutions to tackling the nations epidemic of drug abuse.    

'Here's the thing. We don't have nearly enough people involved in mental health and drug addiction services, number one,' he said to some of the loudest applause of the night.

'Number two, we shouldn't be sending people to jail for use. We should be sending them to mandatory rehabilitation. Mandatory rehabilitation.

'Number three, when people are in jail... if that's not the main crime ... they should be getting treatment while they are in jail. 

'Fourth, when people get out of jail, whether it's for drug addiction or any other crime. If they've served their time, they should have full access to everything from Pell grants to public housing.'

More than 93,000 peope died from drug overdoses in 2020, according to the latest figures from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention - an almost 30 percent increase on the previous year. 

'We have to deal with the idea of addiction by providing for what we all know: it's a disease of the brain... and has to be treated as such,' said Biden. 

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HOW LIKELY ARE YOU TO GET COVID-19 AFTER BEING FULLY VACCINATED?

So-called 'breakthrough' COVID-19 cases occur when people contract the disease 14 days or more after receiving their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine or the Johnson & Johnson one-shot jab.

Clinical trials have shown that Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine is 95% effective in preventing symptomatic disease and the Moderna vaccine is 94.5% effective.

Meanwhile, real-world data showed the Pfizer jab is 91% effective against all disease for at least six months and the Moderna vaccine is 90% effective.

This means that fully vaccinated people are between 90% and 95% less likely to develop COVID-19 than unvaccinated people.

In addition, Johnson & Johnson's vaccine trials showed 72% efficacy in the U.S., meaning those who got the one-shot jab are 72% less likely to contract the disease.

When comparing fully vaccinated people who did and did not get sick, the risk is even lower.

The most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data show that 10,262 of at least 133 million Americans who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 later contracted the disease.

This translates to 0.00716% of people who have completed their vaccine series have gone on to test positive.

It also represents the true odds of getting COVID-19 after full vaccination: less than 0.01%.

What's more, fully vaccinated people who test positive have mild illnesses, and are very unlikely to be hospitalized or die.

The CDC states that 99.5% of all deaths occur in unvaccinated people.

That means, if the figure applies to the 3,165 Americans who've died in July 2021 so far - as of July 13 - about 3,150 deaths would be among unvaccinated people and 15 deaths among fully vaccinated people.

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