WASHINGTON (States Newsroom) — With COVID-19 cases again on the rise and the new, highly-transmissible omicron variant making up almost three-quarters of cases nationwide, the Biden administration on Tuesday announced a series of relief and mitigation efforts amid the winter surge.
“The alarm bell went off,” President Joe Biden told reporters after a speech at the White House where he announced efforts to increase vaccination and testing sites across the country.
Starting this week, 10,000 new COVID-19 testing sites will open in the United States, Biden said. The federal government also plans to purchase 500 million at-home rapid tests, so individuals can have a free coronavirus testing kit shipped to their home via a forthcoming website starting in January.
A thousand military medical personnel will deploy to hospitals experiencing a surge in COVID-positive patients next month and in February. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will help assess supply needs for resources, including masks, gloves, and ventilators.
The omicron variant, which spreads easier than the delta variant, is now the most dominant strain in the United States. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show omicron accounts for 73 percent of total cases nationwide.
“We know a lot more today than we did back in March 2020,” Biden said, addressing questions about another national shutdown. “We should all be concerned about omicron, but not panicked. If you’re fully vaccinated, and especially if you got your booster shot, you are highly protected.”
Vaccinations and layered mitigation efforts, such as masking and social distancing, continue to be the most effective resources to combat the coronavirus and its variants.
“We all want this to be over, but we’re still in it,” Biden said. “And this is a critical moment.”
RELATED
