Omicron: Biden unveils new Covid-19 winter measureson December 2, 2021 at 9:42 pm

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Cases of the Omicron variant have now been reported in three US states and at least 23 countries.

People wait in line at a walk-in vaccination clinic in Washington DC

Image source, Getty Images

US President Joe Biden unveiled a new coronavirus “action plan” for the winter as officials confirmed two more cases of the Omicron variant.

The White House renewed its push on Thursday for more jabs – including booster doses – and more testing amid the rapid global spread of Omicron.

The variant – which has now been found in at least 23 countries – was first reported in California on Wednesday.

Cases from Minnesota and Colorado have also now been detected.

Local public health officials have said each individual was either partially or fully vaccinated and is suffering mild symptoms.

It is still not clear whether the highly-mutated Omicron variant is associated with more transmission or more risk of evading vaccines.

President Biden has said he believes the new variant is “not a cause for panic” and is unlikely to result in new domestic lockdowns.

“We’re going to fight this variant with science and speed, not chaos and confusion,” he said in remarks on Thursday.

The administration’s plan for the winter months consists of steps to encourage all adults to get their booster vaccines, including through a public education campaign and more targeted outreach.

Over 40 million Americans have received their boosters, but Mr Biden said nearly 100 million more are eligible and have not yet had theirs.

Hundreds of family vaccination clinics will be set up across the country in an attempt to increase vaccination rates among children and teenagers.

The plan will also make available millions of free at-home tests through private insurance companies for those who have coverage and through health centres and rural clinics for those who do not.

The US will accelerate the delivery of 200 million more vaccine doses abroad over the next 100 days, Mr Biden added. He was quick to point out that his plan “doesn’t include shutdowns or lockdowns” and “does not expand or add to [federal vaccine] mandates”.

The White House is also laying out stricter testing requirements for international travel. All passengers must provide a negative test result from within 24 hours of their departure, regardless of their vaccination status.

The US and several other countries have banned travel from eight southern African countries.

Health experts have said travel restrictions will buy them time to study the new variant.

A case confirmed in California on Wednesday and in Colorado Thursday were found in travellers who had recently flown back from South Africa.

A Omicron-positive individual in Minnesota had recently returned from a three-day anime (Japanese cartoon) convention in New York City.

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Biden’s plan suggests a return to normal is still far off

Analysis box by Anthony Zurcher, North America reporter

With the rise of the Omicron variant, Joe Biden is back in front of the American people later with another set of steps to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Unlike his last major action, however, the administration’s plan is light on government mandates – perhaps a reflection of the political firestorm his previous orders created and the legal morass that has enveloped them.

Instead, Biden is pushing for greater access to testing and encouraging, but not requiring, all Americans to get vaccination booster shots.

He also makes specific mention of keeping schools open and children in classrooms – a reflection of the white-hot rage last year’s extended closures generated among some suburban parents, who have become a key part of the Democrats’ electoral voting bloc.

When Biden assumed the presidency earlier this year, he acknowledged the success of his tenure would be determined in large part by his ability to contain the pandemic and return a semblance of normalcy to American life.

After some early positive results, the rise of new variants – along with vaccine hesitancy among some in the US – dampened those hopes and exacted an economic and political toll.

Today’s actions suggest Biden knows a return to normal is still a long way off.

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