House expected to pass COVID relief bill next week

Members of the audience continued to ask about vaccinations and how to manage fear for those who are immune-compromised and still don't qualify for early vaccination.

"The states make the decisions on who is in what order. I can make recommendations -- and for federal programs, I can do that, as president of the United States -- but I can't tell the state 'you must move such and such a group of people up,'" he said.

Biden was also asked when Americans can expect things to get back to normal, but said he was cautioned by health officials not to make a prediction. He said that he has hope that the end is near.

"I don't want to over promise anything here. I told you when I ran and when I got elected, I will always level with you. But it matters. It matters whether you continue to wear that mask. It matters whether you continue to socially distance. It matters whether you wash your hands with hot water. It -- those things matter. They matter. And that can save a lot of lives while we're getting to this point where we get to herd immunity."

A parent in the audience asked Biden about this plan and recommendations to get students back to schools.

"What we found out is there are certain things that make it rational and easy to go back to the brick and mortar building," Biden said. "One, first of all, making sure everybody is wearing protective gear. It's available to students as well as to teachers, the janitors, the people who work in the cafeteria, the bus drivers. Secondly, organizing in smaller pods, which means that's why we need more teachers."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released new guidelines to reopen schools amid the new COVID-19 variants.

Cooper followed up with a question about the Biden administration's goal of reopening schools in the first 100 days of his administration, "You're now saying that means those schools may only be open for at least one day a week?"

"No, that's not true. That's what was reported, but that's not true. It was a mistake in the communication. What I've -- what I'm talking about is, I said opening the majority of schools in K through 8th grade, because they're the easiest to open, the most needed to be open, in terms of the impact on children and families having to stay home," Biden responded.

The president also said that he believes a significant percentage of schools -- kindergarten through eighth grade -- will be opened back up closer to the end of his first 100 days in office.

The town hall kicked off with CNN's Anderson Cooper asking Biden when the nation could expect everyone to be vaccinated.

"By the end of July this year. We have -- we came into office, there was only 50 million doses that were available. By the end of July we'll have over 600 million doses, enough to vaccinate every single American,"  Biden said.

Biden stressed the need to get shots in the arms of the people and health care workers to help with the vaccinations. Biden signed an executive order to allow former doctors, nurses and National Guardsmen to assist in the vaccination process. He made clear that his administration is continuing to make strides to set up vaccination centers and increase vaccine supply.

Biden traveled to Milwaukee Tuesday evening and is participating in a televised CNN town hall where he's answering questions from Americans.

"Some of the questioners here voted for him, some did not," CNN's Anderson Cooper said.

Biden is working this week to shift attention back to his ambitious agenda, with COVID-19 and his $2 trillion relief package taking center stage. As he continues to work to get at least some Senate Republicans on board, he's taken his message outside of Washington to talk directly with the American people on his first official trip as president.

-ABC News' Molly Nagle