WILMINGTON, DE - NOVEMBER 25: President-elect Joe Biden delivers a Thanksgiving address at the Queen Theatre on November 25, 2020 in Wilmington, Delaware. As Biden waits to be approved for official national security briefings, the names of top members of his national security team were announced yesterday to the public. Calls continue for President Trump to concede the election and let the transition proceed without further delay. (Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images)
In an effort to thwart the Omicron variant’s efforts of destruction, President Joe Biden announced more federal COVID-19 vaccination and testing sites and said that 500 million free at-home rapid tests will be available starting next month.
The measures include new pop-up vaccination clinics run by FEMA and federal testing sites starting this week. The federal measures will not be fully in place prior to Christmas.
He added a warning to unvaccinated people—who “have a significantly higher risk of ending up in the hospital or even dying” and “good reason to be concerned,” he said—and reassured the vaccinated that they can gather for the holidays.
“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.”
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The president noted that even his predecessor, Donald Trump, received his booster. “Maybe one of the few things he and I agree on,” he said.
The Omicron variant now accounts for 73% of U.S. cases and is causing infections to double in 1.5 to 3 days, according to WHO. It’s not yet known whether it’s more dangerous than the Delta variant.
These breakthrough infections are rising among the 61% of the country’s fully vaccinated population, including the 30% who have gotten booster shots.
The comments come on the heels of some cities imposing stricter safety measures. Other local efforts include:
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