Biden rules out new COVID curbs in US, says Omicron 'will not send us back to March 2020'

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday stated that the United States may not enter lockdown as it is not where it was in March 2020 as more than 200 million Americans have been fully vaccinated, while in March last year when the pandemic hit “no one was fully vaccinated.” “What that means is, today, as cases — a case of COVID-19 for a fully vaccinated and boosted person will most likely mean no symptoms or mild ones similar to the common respiratory viruses,” Biden stressed during the White House address.

He elaborated that there are big differences between the last year and now as more than 60% of Americans are now fully jabbed and are protected from hospitalisation and death as the Omicron becomes the dominant strain across the US. “We’re prepared today for what’s coming.  In March of 2020, we were not ready,” said the US President, adding that his administration has stockpiled enough PPE kits, masks, and ventilators to deal with the surge of hospitalisations among the unvaccinated population. 

“Look, let me give it to you straight again: Omicron is serious, potentially deadly business for unvaccinated people,” Biden told the reporters at the White House.  

Biden emphasised that boosters are a major defence against the new highly mutated B.1.1.529 strain of the virus but unfortunately, “tens of millions of people who are eligible for the booster shot who have not yet gotten it.”  Over 60 million Americans, including 62 percent of eligible seniors -- the most vulnerable group -- have gotten their booster shots, Biden stressed as he urged the vulnerable Americans to get the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to mitigate the severe disease from the fast spreading variant that more than doubled and tripled in just over a week’s time. 

“I got my booster shot as soon as they were available.  And just the other day, former President Trump announced he had gotten his booster shot,” Biden iterated as he insisted that people with booster shots “are highly protected.”

Biden asked the citizens to wear a mask and adhere to the health safety precautions. On the question of being able to safely celebrate the holidays with family and friends this holiday season, the US president emphasised: “The answer is yes.” He continued, “if you and those you celebrate with are vaccinated, particularly if you’ve gotten your booster shot.” 

“Let me say again and again and again and again: Please get vaccinated.  It’s the only responsible thing to do.  And those who are not vaccinated are causing hospitals to overrun — become overrun again,” the US President warned. 

'And, no, this is not March of 2020'

The US President insisted that over 200 million Americans that are now vaccinated against the COVID-19 are safer, as opposed to the scenario in March of 2020. Last year, for example, the only option to protect the children was by shutting down the schools, but in 2021, the administration has more resources to keep those schools open. 

Biden went on to add that the children aged 5- to 11-year-old can now get vaccinated — a tool we didn’t have until last month. “We can keep our K-through-12 schools open,” Biden announced. He then warned, “we should all be concerned about Omicron but not panic”. Those who are fully vaccinated, and especially if they have received the booster shot, are highly protected amid the Omicron surge. “And if you’re unvaccinated, you’re at higher risk of getting severely ill from COVID-19, getting hospitalised, and even death,” Biden sent out a dire warning. 

“And, no, this is not March of 2020.  Two hundred million people are fully vaccinated.  We’re prepared.  We know more.  We just have to stay focused.  So that’s where we stand,” he said.

Biden also outlined his COVID-19 Action Plan that he stressed, his administration will be implementing going forward to step up efforts of vaccination and booster shots. He noted that in some parts of the country people are eager to get their booster, but it’s harder to get an appointment. “I’ll be deploying hundreds more vaccinators and more sites to help get the booster shots in people’s arms,” he informed, adding that FEMA — the Federal Emergency Management Agency –will be appointed to open vaccination clinics to administer the booster doses.

Two such sites are now operational in Washington and New Mexico, he said. Biden then insisted that masking and physical distancing must be strictly followed as the longer the virus is around, “the more likely variants form that may be deadlier than the ones that have come before.”