COVID-19: Biden orders FEMA to assist with testing across US as Omicron threat looms large

As Omicron strain continues to spread across the United States, President Joe Biden on Monday issued an executive order for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist with COVID-19 testing. In a memorandum, the White House announced that the administrator of FEMA shall now issue a mission assignment to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), on a fully reimbursable basis, in a bid to provide testing sites.

The White House said that the coronavirus testing across the US will be launched and operated by HHS in close coordination with state, local, tribal, and territorial public health departments. It also informed that the order was given to enable FEMA to use the emergency and disaster assistance available to it to get testing to the places that need it most. 

"FEMA's mission assignments will require HHS to adjudicate State, Tribal, and territorial requests through the Emergency Support Function Eight Advisory Council," the memorandum said. “FEMA shall fund 100% of the cost of activities associated with the mission assignments to HHS to provide COVID-19 testing sites,” it added. 

Omicron ‘not a source for panic’ 

Meanwhile, the same day, Biden also committed the federal government's complete support to states dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks, caused by the more-transmissible Omicron variant. The US President acknowledged long lines and chaotic scenes, as Americans sought testing amid the surge and wanted to safely meet with family and friends during the holiday. While speaking at a regular meeting, Biden even mentioned his administration’s proposal to make 500 million quick tests available to Americans starting next month through a website that is still being constructed. 

Given the rising COVID-19 cases, Biden stated that he would have undertaken more robust measures had he anticipated the dangers from the new variant. He admitted that "there is no federal solution" to the ongoing COVID crisis. But he also stressed that despite the rapid surge, the impact of Omicron would not be similar to that of the Delta variant this year.

"Omicron is a source of concern but it should not be a source of panic," Biden said in the meeting.

(Image: AP)