President Joe Biden gave warnings but also projected confidence, as his administration rolled out new steps in the fight against COVID 19, including plans to buy half-billion rapid tests and ship them free to Americans.
This is a critical moment. We have more tools than we had before. Biden said that he 'll get through this, as he spoke at the White House.
According to a White House statement, initial deliveries of the 500 million rapid at-home tests are scheduled to begin in January. The U.S. has an estimated population of 332 million. The Biden administration plans to set up a website where Americans can get the tests for free.
Biden told reporters that the new omicron variant had spread more quickly than expected when asked if his administration had failed in not having more tests already available.
The administration plans to deploy additional 1,000 military members of the military with medical skills to struggling hospitals, as well as send federal emergency response teams to Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, New Hampshire and Vermont as part of the latest steps against COVID.
The Defense Production Act, a Korean War-era law, is used by the administration to make COVID tests, which is why it is putting up new federal testing sites around the country.
Biden said people should just enter the COVID test near me into Google's GOOG, GOOGL search engine to find a free COVID testing site near you.
Read more: Biden bolsters COVID 19 effort as a highly contagious omicron variant spreads fast and WHO urges people to cancel Christmas parties.
Biden promises to deliver 500 million COVID 19 rapid tests to Americans.
The Biden administration is shifting after officials earlier this month resisted calls to match other developed nations and increase the number of tests provided at no cost. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki expressed skepticism during a press conference on December 6.
She spoke to reporters at the briefing two weeks ago. Psaki expressed regret about those remarks on Tuesday, telling reporters that there is not a day that goes by that I don't leave this podium and wish I would have said something with more context or more precision. Biden continued to urge Americans to get booster shots and for unvaccinated Americans to get their first COVID jab. According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracker, 242 million U.S. residents, or 73% of the population, have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine.
How concerned should I be about omicron, which is now the dominant variant in this country? Biden said something. The answer is simple. If you are not fully vaccinated, you have good reason to be concerned. You are at a high risk of getting sick. The president made a reference to his predecessor on the topic of boosters.
The other day, former President Trump announced that he had gotten his booster shot. Biden said that it may be one of the few things he and I agree on.
The DJIA, a U.S. stocks, gained Tuesday after a three-session losing streak.
Biden says stocks went way down as Goldman cut the U.S. growth forecast after a setback for Build Back Better Act.