With warning for unvaccinated, Biden lays out plan to fight surging Omicron
Gulf Times
A woman gets a COVID-19 test during the coronavirus disease pandemic in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., December 17, 2021.
US President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday more federal vaccination and testing sites to tackle a surge in Covid-19 driven by the Omicron variant, and said 500 million free at-home rapid tests will be available to Americans starting in January.
Biden offered both a warning to the unvaccinated, who he said have "good reason to be concerned," and reassurance that those who are inoculated can gather for the holidays despite the new variant sweeping the country.
"No this is not March of 2020," Biden told reporters at the White House. "Two hundred million people are fully vaccinated, we're prepared, we know more."
Biden's remarks came as some cities and states imposed new measures aimed at protecting the public, including stricter vaccine mandates.
