President Joe Biden on Monday addressed reports of a new COVID-19 variant now being found in South Africa and several other countries in that region, saying that the variant, called omicron, is a “cause for concern, not a cause for panic.”
“This variant is a cause for concern, not a cause for panic,” Biden said in prepared remarks at the White House. “We have the best vaccine in the world, the best medicines, the best scientists, and we’re learning more every single day. And we’ll fight this variant with scientific and knowledgeable actions and speed. Not chaos and confusion.”
Biden was sure that the U.S. would see cases of the variant eventually despite travel bans of South Africa and six other countries in the area.
He pushed vaccines as a way to protect against the variant, even though it has 10 mutations and scientists aren’t absolutely sure vaccines will work as well against omicron.
Biden pushes vaccines, but do they work on omicron?
“If you are vaccinated, but still worried about the new variant, get our booster. If you aren’t vaccinated, get that shot. Go get that first shot,” Biden said. He also said the vaccine companies would be studying the vaccine’s effectiveness against omicron and developing new variations on vaccines if they are needed.
“I’m sparing no effort and removing all roadblocks to keep the American people safe,” Biden said.
Despite any need for different vaccines, Biden said lockdowns were not on the table this time around.
A doctor who helped discover the new strain said it has been generally mild, and that most people who got omicron could be treated at home.
Republicans skeptical of omicron
Republicans have been generally skeptical of any hype surrounding the omicron variant. Former White House physician under Donald Trump, now Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) said that Democrats would use the new variant to push for widespread mail-in balloting again for the midterm elections, because they help Democrat candidates.
Here comes the MEV – the Midterm Election Variant! They NEED a reason to push unsolicited nationwide mail-in ballots. Democrats will do anything to CHEAT during an election – but we’re not going to let them!
— Ronny Jackson (@RonnyJacksonTX) November 27, 2021
Weekend hosts of “Fox&Friends” suggested that the variant would be used to distract from Biden’s low polling numbers and public anger over his policies.
“Pete Buttigieg, our Transportation secretary … has said we can’t fix the supply chain problem until the pandemic is over, until COVID is over, and now we see these new variants,” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy said. “That’s the answer, is more lockdowns, more lockdowns, more fear and therefore he does not have to do his job.”
Co-host Peter Hesgeth mocked the adminsitration by holding his hand to his ear like a telephone. “We’re going to need to a new variant here,” he joked.
The post Biden says omicron COVID variant ’cause for concern,’ not panic first appeared on Conservative Institute.
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