“No need to be alarmed” by omicron, “we are prepared,” says Biden

President Joe Biden assured Tuesday that U.S is “prepared” in front of the omicron variant of coronavirus and he repeated that there is no reason to be “alarmed”, at least for vaccinated Americans.

“We should all be concerned about the omicron” but “not alarmed,” he said in a televised address from the White House. “This is not March 2020. We are ready,” he added.

LOOK: Ómicron sweeps the US and is already the dominant variant of the coronavirus with 73% of new cases

Biden cited “three major differences” with the onset of the pandemic, starting with the existence of vaccines, also the abundance of personal protective equipment for health personnel who must deal with the flow of unvaccinated people in hospitals, as well like accumulated knowledge about the virus.

However, the president warned those who are not fully vaccinated that they have “good reason to be concerned” and that it is their “patriotic duty” to be immunized.

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“Those who decide not to get vaccinated are responsible for their own decisions, but these decisions are fueled by misinformation on television and social networks,” he lamented, denouncing the “immoral” behavior of some companies that generate profits by allowing the spread of lies ” that they can kill their own clients ”.

LOOK: COVID-19: What are the symptoms of the omicron variant of the coronavirus so far known

– Long waiting lines –

The White House earlier detailed the strategy advocated by the president: diagnostic tests, reinforced vaccination capacity and supplementary means for hospitals, but without new restrictions before Christmas.

Long waiting lines were seen from the beginning of the week in front of test centers across the United States.

“We need to confine our schools or our economy,” said a senior White House official.

The authorities are going to distribute 500 million tests free of charge and mobilize some 1,000 doctors, nurses and members of the army medical personnel.

The United States will also donate more than 500 million dollars in supplementary aid to international organizations to fight covid-19 due to the emergence of the omicron strain.

The new variant was responsible for 73.2% of new COVID-19 infections in the United States last week.

“I don’t think anyone expected it to spread so quickly,” Biden said in his address.

The president also declared that he “considers” lifting travel restrictions for eight African countries, the continent where the variant first appeared, since omicron is now found throughout the world.

“I know you are tired. (…) And I know they are frustrated. We all want it to end, but we are still immersed in it ”, he concluded.

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Deshawn