In a further sign of urgency, Biden’s staff scheduled a televised address for the President to deliver on Monday to encourage more people to get vaccinated and reassure Americans his Administration was working to slow the spread of the variant and deploy additional government resources to respond.
Biden highlighted the progress Americans have seen since he took office, asking viewers to think about how this year’s holiday season will be different from the socially distanced celebrations a year ago.
Since new mutations are most likely to emerge from the coronavirus spreading among unvaccinated people, Biden urged Americans who haven’t been vaccinated to get the shot.“Travel restrictions can slow the speed of Omicron, it cannot prevent it,” Biden said.
“If people are vaccinated and wear their mask, there’s no need for lockdowns,” Biden said.
The White House is now doing what it can “to show competent management” and demonstrate that the Administration is “listening to public health advice,” says a former Biden Administration official still in touch with the White House.