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It is only a few short weeks until inauguration day, usually a day when tens of thousands of people gather in Washington, DC to witness the swearing-in ceremony of the recently elected president of the United States. This year, however, is one marked by a worldwide pandemic that has already infected millions in the United States and killed over 300,000 US residents. Considering this ongoing crisis, President-elect Joe Biden is urging his supporters, and all others who are considering attending the inauguration, to stay home.
The inaugural committee issued an advisory asking people to please stay home as an alternative to issuing a new slew of public health protocols to maintain the safety and health of thousands of participants who would probably come.
The committee issued a press release saying that it was working “in close coordination” with the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies “to ensure that the inauguration…honors and resembles sacred American traditions while keeping Americans safe and preventing the spread of COVID-19.”
The committee also said that Biden and the Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be taking their oaths of office on schedule at the traditional location on the steps of the Capitol, on January 20th. Biden will also deliver the traditional inaugural address.
“The ceremony’s footprint will be extremely limited, and the parade that follows will be reimagined,” the committee said, adding that it was “urging the public to refrain from any travel and participate in the inaugural activities from home.”
