(Washington) Joe Biden said Monday there was “no reason to panic” over the spread of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19, while calling on Americans to get vaccinated and receive their doses reminder.
“There are reasons to be concerned about this new variant, but no reason to panic,” the US president said in a speech at the White House.
As the holiday season approaches, he called on Americans to get vaccinated and have their children vaccinated, or if necessary receive their booster doses, as well as to wear a mask indoors. .
The American president estimated that “sooner or later” this new variant would also appear in the United States, but he did not announce any additional binding measures in the immediate future, either at the borders or within the States- United.
“I don’t anticipate that at this point,” he said in response to a question about additional restrictions, as the United States has already closed its borders to travelers from eight countries in southern Africa. .
Joe Biden also said that “if people are vaccinated and wear a mask, there is no need for containment.”
Asked about a possible vaccine or test obligation to take domestic flights in the United States, the Democratic president replied: “At this stage, it is not a recommendation” from the scientific community.
Joe Biden added that he would present “Thursday” a detailed strategy to fight COVID-19 during the winter, “not with closures or lockdowns, but by amplifying vaccination, recalls, testing.”
The list of countries where Omicron is detected continues to grow, especially in Europe, after the first cases detected in southern Africa in November, prompting many states to suspend travel to this region and to introduce preventive restrictions.
The variant has already reached the Americas: Canada announced its first two cases on Sunday.