Confront The Omicron Variant, President Joe Biden: We'll Fight With Science And Speed

Presiden Joe Biden. (Wikimedia Commons/Gage Skidmore)

JAKARTA - President Joe Biden on Thursday outlined his strategy to combat the Omicron and Delta coronavirus variants over the winter, including insurance company-funded home COVID-19 testing and new requirements for international travelers.

The US government will require private health insurers to reimburse 150 million of their customers for the cost of over-the-counter COVID-19 tests at home, administration officials say, and make 50 million tests available free through rural clinics and health centers for the uninsured.

Replacement for the test won't begin, however, until January, missing an important holiday period when many families and groups gather indoors.

"We will fight this variant with science and speed, not chaos and confusion," said President Biden at the National Institutes of Health in Maryland, warning infections would increase in the coming winter.

"The actions I am announcing are actions that all Americans can take and must unite us in the fight against COVID-19," he said.

The government is urging all eligible Americans to be vaccinated or get a booster shot, to fight the virus and protect against Omicron, which is spreading rapidly around the world. The US plans to increase family vaccination sites and expand availability in pharmacies.

Less than 60 percent of the US population, or 196 million people, have been fully vaccinated, one of the lowest rates among rich nations. The government says an additional 100 million qualify for the booster.

Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said all vaccinated adults should get a booster dose, given the reduced protection over time and the emergence of Omicron variants.

The United States also plans to require incoming international passengers to be tested for COVID-19 within one day of departure, regardless of vaccination status. Mask requirements on planes, trains and public transport will be extended until March 18.

The new plan will also increase care for those affected by COVID-19, doubling the number of 'surge response teams' providing additional staff in overcrowded hospitals to 60 from current levels, President Biden said.

"This will accelerate more drugs that are recommended by real doctors instead of conspiracy theorists," he added.

Efforts to expand testing and vaccination come as the world faces a new threat from Omicron variants, and the United States faces a deeply entrenched and politically driven anti-vaccination culture.

Concerns about the variance have battered financial markets and created doubts about the speed of the global economic recovery as the pandemic continues.

The White House is considering further restrictions and ways to increase testing and vaccination that will depend on the severity of the variant, said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.

To note, more than 786,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the United States, including 37,000 in November alone.