(Photo : Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 04: U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting of the White House COVID-19 Response Team January 4 , 2022 in Washington, DC. The U.S. continues to see daily case counts increase in the midst of another winter surge brought about primarily by the Omicron variant. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
United States President Joe Biden urged Americans to get vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus as the highly-contagious Omicron variant continues to spread even among the vaccinated people.
President Biden on Tuesday maintained that COVID-19 is an illness of those who refuse the vaccine, stating that people who have not gotten shots should be "alarmed" by the highly-transmissible Omicron variant even as it rampages through the vaccinated population.
Based on Our World Data the US has recorded new cases in 885,541, with a 7-day average of 553,266 on January 4, which shows the continuing rampage of the virus even though 62% of Americans are fully vaccinated according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
According to Fox News, Biden mentioned that Omicron is a very different and very transmissible variant, thus he advised the public to get vaccinated and observe health safety measures in public places.
"You can protect yourself, and you should protect yourself, quite frankly. Get vaccinated, get boosted. There are plenty of booster shots. Wear a mask while you're in public," Biden said.
Unvaccinated People Should be Alarmed about Omicron
According to medical experts at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Maryland, the symptoms of the Omicron variant are generally milder compared to the other variants. But vaccines are proven effective at protecting individuals from severe conditions and death.
Meanwhile, the President told the unvaccinated population that they have a serious reason to be alarmed for they have a higher risk of experiencing severe Covid-19 and ending up in emergency rooms and intensive care units. "Some will die, needlessly die," he added.
However, in December, the CDC said that it is possible for somebody infected with Omicron to transmit the virus even if they got immunized or do not feel any symptoms.
Frustrating testing situation
Despite the tens of millions of dollars allotted for Covid-19 testing, Biden admits that the situation in the United States is frustrating. Nevertheless, the government continues to "making improvements" by establishing federal testing sites and making rapid tests more accessible to the public, as per Politico.
The President reported that in the last two weeks, his administration has set up more and more testing sites that offer free Covid-19 tests. This increased capacity for in-person testing is expected to speed up processes and make more appointments available.
In the last two weeks, the Biden administration has set up federal testing sites across the country, and is adding more "each and every day." Biden encouraged individuals to "Google 'COVID test near me' to find the nearest site where you can get a test most often and free."
Biden also said that at-home Covid-19 tests will continue to be available as drugstores and online retailers are "re-stocking" supplies.
Furthermore, the President has announced that insurance companies will soon begin reimbursing individuals for at-home rapid tests, thus assuring that the US is well prepared to manage the risk of the Omicron variant according to the New York Times.
"We have the tools to protect people from severe illness from Omicron - if people choose to use the tools, For God's sake, please take advantage of what's available," Biden said.
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