With the omicron variant supplanting the longstanding delta variant as the nation’s main strain of coronavirus, President Joe Biden’s adjusted response plan includes free COVID test kits and more federal aid to help hospitals.
In an address Tuesday, Biden said new federal testing sites would open up soon — most by January. Also next month, the government will start a website where people can order at-home tests to be delivered for free. Some 500 million tests could well be available through this program, although some national medical experts say that’s not close to what’s actually needed.
Biden also announced the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending out teams of officials to both assess hospital needs and set up supplies including masks, gloves and even ventilators. The federal government will send ambulances and EMS workers to COVID hot spots, helping to move people to hospitals with available bed space. Biden also promised new pop-up vaccination clinics nationwide.
Omicron was first announced over the Thanksgiving weekend after research in South Africa. In less than a month, it has become the dominant strain nationwide with over 70 percent of the new caseload tied to the variant. The delta strain is still the main variant areawide with no reported omicron cases in any of our area counties as of the state’s report Monday.
