Joe Biden said “the pandemic is over”, despite hundreds of Americans dying every day from the virus.
Speaking on CBS’s 60 Minutes program, the US president hailed the end of the outbreak.
However, he added: “We still have a problem with COVID.
“We are still working hard on it. But the pandemic is over. If you notice, nobody is wearing masks.
“They all look pretty fit. And so, I think it’s changing.”
Mr. Biden he was speaking on the sidelines of the Detroit Auto Show, an event that attracted thousands of visitors.
The toll of the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly improved since Biden’s tenure began, when more than 3,000 Americans were dying every day, thanks to more widely available enhanced treatments, drugs and vaccinations.
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However, nearly 400 people a day continue to die from COVID-19, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The president spent more than two weeks isolated in the White House after two attacks with coronavirus starting in July.
His wife Jill contracted the virus in August.
Biden said the mild cases were a testament to improvements in care during his presidency.
It also asked Congress for an additional $ 22.4 billion (£ 19.6 billion) in funding to prepare for a potential wave of autumn infections.
