"We must be concerned about the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, but there is no reason to panic. It's not like in 2020, today most of the population is vaccinated."
United States President Joe Biden speaks to the nation and reassures the Americans, while launching a winter campaign against the contagious mutation which now accounts for 73% of new infections, therefore three out of four cases.
“The unvaccinated have good reasons to be worried - he added - while the vaccinated and those who have done the booster, much less, will be able to spend the end of year holidays as scheduled. Whoever does not get vaccinated risks getting sick in a more serious way and risks death ".
On Monday, the new infections recorded in America were about 254 thousand, never so many since September. And what is worrying above all is the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in the north-east of the country, the most populated, with New York having seen cases triple in just one week (640% more in the last month), risking to become the epicenter again. of the pandemic. Mayor Bill de Blasio is planning to cancel or heavily downsize the iconic New Year's Eve event in Times Square as well.
THE PLAN - In any case, there will not be a lockdown that jeopardizes Christmas and the economic recovery but the vaccination campaign must be strengthened: the plan developed by the White House to cope with the emergency provides for the deployment of another thousand soldiers in hospitals to coping with the surge in hospitalizations, with the Pentagon dispatching doctors, specialists, paramedics and nurses. At least 500 million rapid anti-Covid tests are on the way, which will be distributed for free, even if only starting in January.
The president, therefore, reserves the right to resort to a war law, the Defense Production Act of 1950, to accelerate the production of the tests that are beginning to be scarce throughout the country. Among other measures announced by Biden also the construction of new vaccination centers for the administration of doses by federal personnel, starting from New York where the first sites will open by Christmas.
(Unioneonline / D)