Biden: "It's Not March 2020 Now... No Re-lockdown"

U.S. President Joe Biden is delivering a national address at the White House in Washington, D.C., on the 21st (local time), explaining the response strategy to the spread of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Cho] "This is not March 2020 anymore. Over 200 million people have completed vaccination. We are prepared and know more."

U.S. President Joe Biden expressed concern over the rapid spread of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron but stated that he will not implement a full lockdown like last year. He strongly urged citizens to get vaccinated and receive booster shots, calling vaccination a "patriotic duty."

On the afternoon of the 21st (local time), President Biden delivered a national address at the White House regarding the response to Omicron's spread, saying, "We do not need to shut down schools because of COVID-19. We can keep K-12 schools (kindergarten through 12th grade in the U.S.) open. That is exactly what we must do."

This stance contrasts with some European countries that have strengthened border controls amid the recent Omicron surge. On the same day, President Biden also mentioned that the administration is considering lifting the travel ban on travelers from eight African countries, including South Africa, imposed at the early stage of the Omicron outbreak.

As part of the Omicron response, the Biden administration will provide 500 million free at-home COVID-19 test kits to U.S. applicants starting next month, emphasizing the importance of knowing who is infected. Emergency testing sites will be established nationwide beginning this week in New York. Vaccination sites will also increase by 10,000 from the current 80,000. Additionally, 1,000 medical personnel, including military doctors, nurses, and paramedics, will be deployed to emergency medical centers in January and February next year.

President Biden said, "No one expected Omicron to spread this quickly," but also urged people not to panic over the recent surge, noting, "Currently, over 200 million people have completed vaccination, giving us peace of mind that we did not have in March 2020." As of last week, Omicron accounts for 73% of all confirmed cases in the U.S., becoming the dominant strain. The first official death from Omicron was also confirmed in the U.S. the day before.

He reiterated the importance of vaccination and booster shots. President Biden appealed, "Vaccination is a patriotic duty. Please get vaccinated." Currently, about 72% of the U.S. population has received at least one dose, which is lower compared to major developed countries. Including booster shots, the completion rate is below 30%.

He emphasized, "The unvaccinated could be a high-risk group for Omicron spread," adding, "This year, 400,000 Americans died from COVID-19, most of whom were unvaccinated. Unvaccinated Americans face much higher risks of hospitalization and death." He also noted that while breakthrough infections can occur among the fully vaccinated, they are protected from severe illness.

Notably, President Biden mentioned that former President Donald Trump recently received a booster shot, saying, "(The booster shot) might be one of the few things he and I agree on." Regarding the vaccine mandate for private companies with over 100 employees, he stated, "This is not about controlling your life; it is about saving your life and the lives of others."