Since 1787, every president of the United States has served a four-year term, and towards the end of the last year, an election takes place. This election determines who will take the president’s place. Whether the current sitting president was re-elected or if a new president has been elected, they must go through an inauguration, a  day which is typically celebrated all around the country. In case you don’t know what “inauguration” means, according to Merriam-Webster, inauguration means “a ceremonial induction into office,” which is basically what happens. 

Fast forward to 2021 with Joseph R. Biden, Jr. as President-elect and Kamala D. Harris as Vice President-elect alongside a quite tragic event in American history occurring at the Capitol building and civil unrest around the country. The ceremony has to change this time around due to COVID and security concerns. 

On the security side of things, the Secret Service will be in charge of about 20,000 members of the US National Guard, FBI, US Marshal Service and many more federal agencies in the days leading up to and including the inauguration. This is to keep the inauguration and the entirety of all government facilities in Washington, D.C. safe. Currently, Washington, D.C. is under lockdown due to the Capitol riot and threats from social media.

Due to COVID, in-person attendance is limited. The president-elect and vice president-elect are advising people to stay home and watch it from home. There will be no  presidential parade but rather something they call a “virtual parade,” which is “showcasing communities across the country.” Not only that, but there will be a ceremony for all the American lives lost to COVID. The ceremony will take place at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Jan. 19 at 5:30 p.m.

At the moment, only the current vice-president, Mike Pence, will be joining the newly-elected president and vice president at the inauguration among members of the previous administration. The current president, Donald J. Trump, has announced he will not show up to the inauguration. Former presidents Barack Obama, George Bush and Bill Clinton are expected to make an appearance at the inauguration.

That’s what to expect from the inauguration of President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris as they assume their new roles in the United States of America.