The White House was viciously mocked over the weekend after pushing the message that unvaccinated Americans would experience a winter of “severe illness and death” due to the omicron variant of the coronavirus.
President Biden, as well as White House COVID response coordinator Jeff Zients, each pushed the messaging last week, with the former issuing the stark and gloomy warning to Americans following a Thursday White House briefing on the pandemic.
“I want to send a direct message to the American people: Due to the steps we’ve taken, omicron has not yet spread as fast as it would have otherwise done,” Biden said.
“But it’s here now, and it’s spreading, and it’s going to increase … We are looking at a winter of severe illness and death for the unvaccinated – for themselves, their families and the hospitals they’ll soon overwhelm,” he added. “But there’s good news: If you’re vaccinated, and you have your booster shot, you’re protected from severe illness and death.”
Zients repeated the warning the following day while giving an update from the COVID response team.
“We are intent on not letting omicron disrupt work and school for the vaccinated. You’ve done the right thing, and we will get through this,” he said. “For the unvaccinated, you’re looking at a winter of severe illness and death for yourselves, your families and the hospitals you may soon overwhelm.”
Critics took to social media to mock the White House’s message of death, with some referring to Biden as the “Grim Reaper” and others declaring that Biden saying he was going to “shut down the virus” sounded a lot different than “illness and death.”
Who is this for? Unvaccinated Americans are not going to be persuaded by messaging like this. https://t.co/he3jvfEgnz pic.twitter.com/ZI365x4hlB
— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) December 20, 2021
Grim Reaper In White House – Biden Warns That Unvaccinated Will Experience ‘A Winter Of Severe Illness And Death’https://t.co/Udgmv3Ygbg
— George Papadopoulos (@GeorgePapa19) December 17, 2021
"I'm going to shut down the virus" and "we're going to have a winter of severe illness and death" are definitely not the same things, Brandon.
— Joey Gilbert (@joeygilbertinc) December 19, 2021
What a cheerful Christmas card from the Biden White House https://t.co/AZQfo3NSWQ
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) December 20, 2021
“We are all in this together unless you are in the outgroup in which case you gonna die,” wrote Fox News contributor Ben Domenech, while former communications director for the 2020 Trump campaign Tim Murtaugh suggested the messaging wouldn’t help Democrats going into 2022.
We are all in this together unless you are in the outgroup in which case you gonna die. pic.twitter.com/wGUJOaTMyk
— Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) December 20, 2021
Going into the year of the midterm elections, the Biden White House has settled on its slogan.
“A winter of severe illness and death.”
Sounds like a winner. pic.twitter.com/ltKRFZTuie
— Tim Murtaugh (@TimMurtaugh) December 20, 2021
Let's go Brandon
Creepy Joe is begging for a discrimination lawsuit https://t.co/dIWJUFxFPP— Chris Bish (@BishForCongress) December 20, 2021
“President Biden’s warning of a ‘winter of severe illness and death’ makes President Jimmy Carter’s ‘malaise’ speech urging Americans to lower expectations seem a cheerful upper by contrast. How do Democrats run as the party of ‘severe illness and death’? This is madness,” wrote former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. Other critics echoed his Jimmy Carter comparison.
President Biden’s warning of a “winter of severe illness and death” makes President Jimmy Carter’s “malaise” speech urging Americans to lower expectations seem a cheerful upper by contrast. How do Democrats run as the party of “severe illness and death”? This is madness.
— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) December 18, 2021
Geez. Biden's "Winter of Death" remarks make Jimmy Carter's malaise speech look like a real pep talk. https://t.co/DkxoNXWjx4
— Tom Bevan (@TomBevanRCP) December 17, 2021
Biden: "I will be a President for all Americans."
Also Biden: "If you don't do as I say, you deserve to die." https://t.co/wYrEI2tMMW
— Andrew Follett (@AndrewCFollett) December 20, 2021
Fear porn from @JoeBiden and his criminally insane White House https://t.co/s0yr3EcNsJ
— Tony Shaffer (@T_S_P_O_O_K_Y) December 20, 2021
Concerns over the omicron variant of the coronavirus have grown as it is set to become the dominant variant in the U.S. due to its high rate of transmission. Despite it reportedly not being as a serious as the delta variant, a number of universities, schools and businesses have decided to close or return to virtual learning.
Biden is set to address Americans again on Tuesday to provide an update on the omicron variant, as well as additional measures the administration plans to take.
Story cited here.