Biden Will Announce New Steps To Combat Worsening Covid Crisis On Tuesday

President Joe Biden will deliver a speech Tuesday to address the omicron variant and unveil new steps the administration is taking to help communities in need of assistance, a White House official told NBC News on Saturday.

According to NBC News, “Biden is expected to go beyond his already unveiled “winter plan” with additional measures while ‘issuing a stark warning of what the winter will look like for Americans that choose to remain unvaccinated,’ a White House official said.

Responding To The Challenge

CBS News reported that a Biden representative said that, “The administration is prepared for the rising case levels, and the President will detail how it will respond to this challenge.

“In addition, he will remind Americans that they can protect themselves from severe illness from Covid,-19 by getting vaccinated and getting their booster shot when they are eligible.”

Omicron Cases In U.S. Doubled In 24 Hours

The Daily Mail reported that as of today, “the number of confirmed Omicron cases in the U.S. has nearly doubled in a period of 24 hours, with the variant confirmed in all but six states.  

“As of Saturday morning, there were 830 cases of the Omicron Covid-19 variant confirmed by DNA sequencing across the country, a 97 percent increase from Friday morning’s tally. In reality, the true number of Omicron cases is much higher, as only 1 to 2 percent of all cases are sequenced for variant markers, but the testing data shows a disturbing national trend.”

Biden’s Previous Actions And Plans

Biden’s announcement on Tuesday will be the latest in a series of actions and plans he’s taken to address the coronavirus crisis, which will enter its second year in January.

• His first plan was outlined when he was running for president last year.
• After he was inaugurated in January Biden unveiled a national strategy to prepare for and respond to Covid-19.
• In July, he announced vaccination requirements for the federal government and called on the private sector to do more to encourage vaccinations.
• In September, he signed two Executive Orders. According to USA Today, one of the orders established a rule for the Labor Department to require all businesses with 100 or more employees to be vaccinated or submit to testing at least once a week. The order was not implemented because of subsequent court decisions; a federal appeals court yesterday said the mandates can proceed. The second Executive Order required most federal workers and contractors to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, a tightening of the previous policy announced in July that called for vaccinations but allowed other options.
• Last month, Biden announced the details of two new major vaccination policies.

December’s Updated Battle Plan

On December 2, he outlined plans to combat the coronavirus this winter. According to a White House fact sheet, the plan included actions in these areas:

Boosters

• Boosters for all adults

Vaccinations

• Vaccinations to protect children and keep schools open

Testing

• Expanding free at-home testing

Protocols

• Stronger public health protocols for international travel

Workplace

• Protections in the workplace to keep the economy open

Rapid Response

• Rapid response teams to help battle the rising number of cases

Treatment Pills

• Supplying treatment pills to help prevent hospitalizations and death

Global Vaccinations

• Continued commitment to global vaccination efforts

Scenarios

• Steps to ensure the U.S. is prepared for all scenarios

The White House said those actions, “will ensure we are using these tools as effectively as possible to protect the American people against this variant and to continue to battle the Delta variant during the winter months when viruses tend to thrive. These actions will help keep our economy growing and keep Americans safe from severe Covid-19.”