Washington, November 30 (BUS) – President Joe Biden called the novel coronavirus variant Omicron a cause for concern but “not a cause for panic” on Monday and said he is not considering any large-scale shutdown of the United States. He again urged Americans to fully vaccinate, including booster injections, and to return to face masks indoors in public places to slow any spread.
Speaking Monday at the White House, Biden said it was inevitable that the new alternative would reach the United States, but he also said the country has the tools to protect Americans — particularly approved vaccines and booster shots, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
Biden said that when the omicron arrives, and it will, America “will face this new threat just as we have faced those who came before it.”
He appealed to nearly 80 million unvaccinated Americans ages 5 and older to get their doses, and the rest of the country to look for booster shots six months after the second dose. He also encouraged everyone to return to wearing face masks in all indoor public places – an epidemic precaution that is no longer available in most parts of the country.
Separately, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded its recommendation for COVID-19 booster shots to include all adults due to the new variant. The agency previously approved boosters for all adults, but only recommended them for those 50 and older or living in long-term care settings.
“Everyone 18 years of age or older should receive a booster dose either six months after the initial Pfizer or Moderna series or two months after the initial J&J vaccine,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walinsky said in a statement.
Biden was joined by Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief infectious disease expert and the president’s advisor on COVID-19, who said earlier Monday that scientists hope to see how effective current COVID-19 vaccines are at protecting against variola in the next week or two. t, and how dangerous it is compared to previous strains.
“We don’t really know,” Fauci told ABC’s “Good Morning America,” describing the speculation as premature.
The new shape represents the latest test of Biden’s efforts to contain the pandemic, mitigate its effects on the economy, and restore a sense of normalcy to the United States during the holiday season.
“This alternative is a cause for concern, not a cause for panic,” Biden said, as US financial markets rebounded on Monday after falling sharply on Friday. The White House said there are no plans to reduce Biden’s travel as a result of the new alternative.
Biden moved last week to restrict travel from South Africa and seven other countries in South Africa, effective Monday, in an effort to give scientists time to learn more about the new alternative, and to enable more Americans to be vaccinated before it reaches South Africa. Officials argued that they were punished for the speed with which a new replacement was identified and reported.
“We will continue to assess the steps we need to take to protect the American people,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Monday, as Omicron spreads around the world.
Some other countries are bringing back severe travel and business shutdowns to prevent the spread of the omicron variant, but Biden noted that the United States has not followed suit.
“If people are vaccinated and wearing masks, there is no need to close,” he said.
Fauci said earlier on “CBS Mornings” that restricting travel from countries where the omicron was first identified “costs you two weeks because if you can keep things in place for a few weeks, you can do a lot of things.”
Pharma companies are already working on modifying their existing COVID-19 vaccines to better attack the omicron variant, but Fauci said Americans should make it a priority to get their first dose or a booster dose now, rather than waiting for a new formulation.
“I would highly suggest you get a boost now,” he said.
He added that based on what scientists learn about the omicron variant in the coming weeks, “we may not need” targeted boosters to contain that strain of the virus.
Biden said his administration “has spared no effort in removing all roadblocks to keep the American people safe,” including working with drug manufacturers on potential new enhancers and testing specifically targeting the new variant.
It’s possible that no Ommicron vaccine will start production for another two or three months, so getting boosters now is a “very important first line of defense,” said Dr. Paul Burton, chief medical officer of vaccine maker Moderna. Monday.
Burton said Moderna and other vaccine companies are testing existing COVID-19 vaccines to determine their effectiveness against the omicron variant.
“If we need to manufacture a variant of an Omicron, it will take a few weeks, and maybe what we’re looking at is two to three months until we can really start manufacturing,” Burton told ABC.
Noting that the new alternative, like its predecessors, originated abroad in regions with low vaccination rates, Biden said accelerating global vaccinations is a moral imperative and in America’s self-interest. He noted that the United States has already donated more than 275 million doses – more than the rest of the world combined – and is on track to provide more than 1.1 billion doses globally by September 2022.
“Now we need the rest of the world to step up, too,” Biden said. “We cannot hold back until the world is vaccinated.”
As the holiday season rolls around, Biden has tried to reassure shoppers that his administration is easing supply chain problems. Businesses are working to weather the lingering effects of COVID-related shutdowns, and now problems arising from a robust recovery that has generated more demand than many ports, manufacturers and retailers can handle.
On Monday, the president spoke with the CEOs of Best Buy, Food Lion, Samsung, Etsy and Walmart, among the companies. Corporate leaders reassured Biden.
“While we are all concerned about the supply chain, we have more inventory than we had a year ago, and we have the inventory we need to be able to support the business,” said Doug McMillon, CEO of Walmart. “We are seeing progress. Port and transit delays are improving.”
MI