According to the American Psychological Association, there are big health benefits to owning a pet.

Improved self-esteem and physical fitness and the main ones.

Pet owners are also less lonely, more conscientious and less

preoccupied, the APA says. Donald Trump doesn't have a pet. He's one of only three

presidents not to have had pet. He's one of only three presidents not to have had one. When he moved in, the White House

was furry friend-free for the first time in 150 years. Now Champ and Major Biden, two German Shepherds, are preparing for the high profile job of first

pups. A Washington tradition is being restored, and medical science suggests that will help keep the new president in good health.

But what about the country he's promised to heal?

This is checks and balance. I'm John Prido, the Economist's US editor.

Each week we take one big theme shaping American politics and explore it in depth.

Today, can Joe Biden contain the move as President-elect was to launch a task force to tackle the pandemic.

Drug firm Pfizer announced major progress on a COVID-19 vaccine the same day America registered its 10 millionth case. Deaths and hospitalizations are passing new records.

Failure to control COVID has dented US global leadership. Can Biden turn things around?

In this episode, we'll assess his first moves,

find out how the rollout of a miracle vaccine has gone wrong before,

and hear from the frontline doctor who's advised Vice President-elect Carmeler Harris. With me as ever to discuss all of this are Charlotte Howard, the economists New York Bureau Chief and John Fasman, the Washington Correspondent.

Charlotte, how are you?

I'm doing well. New York has been pretty cheerful. It's a very blue city, so on Saturday when the news came that Joe Biden had been named President-elect, there were people rushing out into the streets and honking horns and

spontaneous dance parties broke out across the city. But you know the number of cases are rising here quite

rapidly and people are anticipating that we may have a

shutdown again quite soon. So you know some people are making dental appointments

and rushing to get their haircut or whatever it might be but I think

...