The Joe Biden Administration unveiled new measures on Thursday to combat the coronavirus pandemic during the winter, a day after the first case of the omicron variant was registered in the country.
Amid the concern that the arrival of omicron has generated and while scientists are working to determine how dangerous it is, the US authorities d
avoided implementing large closures of entire sectors of the economy or educational centers
, as was done in the first wave.
Instead, the Biden Administration pledged to take a series of actions to curb the spread of the virus, while keeping most of the activities in the country in place.
The White House is considering quarantining all travelers entering the country, including Americans
Dec. 1, 202102: 14
“While this new variant is a reason to be concerned, it is not a reason to panic.
We have the tools we need to face this variant and continue advancing in our fight against the virus, "declared a senior Administration official in a call with journalists on Wednesday, in which several details of the plan that are listed below were advanced.
Provide booster doses to the entire adult population.
Vaccinate children over the age of 5 to keep schools open.
Expand the availability of free and at-home COVID-19 testing.
Establish stricter protocols to ensure security on international travel.
Guarantee protection mechanisms in workplaces.
Rapid response teams to assist states with the resources necessary to combat the pandemic.
Provide COVID-19 pills to prevent hospitalization and death, if approved by the FDA.
Continue to support efforts to accelerate vaccination around the world and thus prevent the emergence of new variants.
Prepare for any scenario, including the development of new vaccines in case they are needed to combat the omicron variant.
[How effective are COVID-19 vaccines against the new omicron variant?]
Regarding booster doses
, the federal government announced that a national campaign will be carried out to promote them and that pharmacies will expand their appointments so that people can receive the injections at an extended time.
Likewise, Medicare will remind older adults that they should receive a booster, among other measures.
Regarding schools
, officials assured that keeping them open will be one of the president's priorities.
As part of this effort, 'family vaccination clinics' will be created around the country and Medicaid will pay its healthcare providers to talk with families about the importance of vaccinating their children.
The CDC will also review its COVID-19 protocols so that institutes don't need to shut down completely when a case is detected.
Regarding international travel,
starting next week, all travelers arriving from abroad, regardless of their nationality or vaccination status, will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test taken one day before their trip to the United States. .
While on domestic trips, the mask will be required to be worn at least until mid-March.
There will be no other restrictions at the moment.
Regarding the COVID-19 detection tests at home,
the Government announced that private insurers will have to cover 100% of their cost.
There will also be more than 50 million tests available for free at community centers around the country.
The rule will not apply retroactively to tests that have been purchased before.