The organizing committee for the inauguration of future US President Joe Biden warned Tuesday, December 15 that the possibility of attending this ceremony in person, on January 20, would be "
extremely limited
" for the public, in order to fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
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"
On January 20, President-elect (Joe) Biden and Vice-President-elect (Kamala) Harris will be sworn in on Capitol Hill in a historic ceremony that will include very strict health and safety protocols
," the statement said in a statement. the Presidential Inauguration Committee (PIC).
"
Attendance at the ceremony will be extremely limited and the parade that will follow will be reimagined,
" the committee warned, urging the public to avoid going to Washington.
This highly anticipated ceremony normally takes place on the steps of Congress, in front of the lawns of the National Mall.
Every four years, hundreds of thousands of spectators flock to the American capital to attend.
In January 2017, she provoked the first pass of arms between Donald Trump and the media, which had underlined the size of the crowd, indisputably smaller than for Barack Obama in 2009. But the ceremony will take place this year in the shadows. of the coronavirus epidemic, which has already claimed more than 300,000 lives in the United States, where contamination records are recorded.
The PIC ensures "
work to ensure that the investiture (...) honors and recalls American sacred traditions while keeping Americans safe and preventing the spread of Covid-19
".
A team of recognized professionals was engaged to produce this event and "
establish an innovative program that will give Americans the opportunity to participate safely in the nomination
".
Maju Varghese, the executive director of the committee, spoke in the Washington Post about "
models that we saw during the pandemic
", such as screens showing spectators at basketball matches or the broadcast of events from multiple angles. .
Another unknown is the presence or not at the ceremony of Donald Trump, who continues to challenge his defeat.
The Republican president has also not confirmed that he will receive Joe and Jill Biden for their formal visit to the White House, as part of the transition.