White House vows no more lockdowns of schools or economy despite COVID’s rise

The Biden White House insisted Friday that American schools and the economy will not shut down again even as COVID-19 infections rise with the new Delta variant.

"We are not going back. We are not turning back the clock," Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters.

"This is not March 2020 or even January 2021," she added. "We're not going to lock down our economy or our schools because our country's in a much stronger place than when we took office."

The promise came as some teachers unions aligned with the Democratic Party call for the school year to begin with virtual classes, not in-classroom learning.