Biden Plans to Deploy Military, Distribute 500 Million Tests Amid COVID-19 Omicron Wave

Contact Your Elected Officials
The Epoch Times Header

President Joe Biden’s administration is planning to mail out some 500 million COVID-19 tests, starting in January, according to the White House.

The White House on Tuesday said it will send the test kits to homes as part of an effort to deal with the Omicron COVID-19 variant, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday said accounts for about 73 percent of cases in the United States. It’s not clear yet whether the variant causes more severe disease than previous variants, although fewer than a dozen deaths have been reported worldwide.

“Today, the President is announcing his Administration will purchase a half-billion at-home, rapid tests this winter to be distributed for free to Americans who want them, with the initial delivery starting in January 2022,” the White House said in a press statement.

Additional federal test sites will also be set up across the United States in the coming days, starting in New York City, according to the White House, in a bid to help “states that need additional testing capacity.”

Tuesday’s announcement appears to reverse a previous White House position on COVID-19 testing. White House press secretary Jen Psaki earlier this month told reporters that the administration won’t be mailing test kits to every home.

In the press release, the White House confirmed it will send 1,000 members of the military such as military doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other medical personnel to hospitals in January and February.

Six emergency response teams with more than 100 staff members are also being sent to Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Arizona, New Hampshire, and Vermont, said the White House. Meanwhile, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) response teams will be sent to add capacity to hospitals in some states, and the federal government is “paying for all of it,” the statement added.

“This is on top of the 300 federal medical personnel that we have deployed since we learned about Omicron,” the news release said.

The CDC Monday reported that Omicron is rapidly spreading and may be the dominant variant in the country, representing some 73 percent of sequenced U.S. cases. The Delta strain, which emerged earlier this year, makes up about 26.6 percent of infections, while just a week before that, Delta represented 87 percent of cases.

Authorities in South Africa, where Omicron is first believed to have emerged, reported late last week that the hospitalization rate for Omicron patients is about one-tenth of the hospitalization rate that was seen during the early phase of the Delta wave. New York City’s chief medical official, Dr. Dave Chokshi, made a similar statement.

“Right now, there are about a thousand people hospitalized with COVID-19 across New York City. That’s about a quarter of where we were at the peak of last winter’s wave and less than a tenth of where we were in the spring of 2020,” Chokshi said on Monday, blaming the rise in infections on the “Omicron wave.”

On Tuesday evening, Biden is slated to make a televised announcement about the initiative. During a news conference Monday, Psaki said the president will not call for additional lockdowns or stay-at-home orders.

By Jack Phillips

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Trump’s Middle East Triumph is Worth Celebrating Even As Peace Remains Elusive 

President Trump’s bold foreign policy defies globalist appeasement, showcasing unwavering American strength and decisive leadership on the world stage.

Are conservatives fighting a fiction of woke?

Wokery, it hurts to say it, is too disorganized to have an organized cosmology or doctrine of metaphysical belief.

Illinois Democrat Offenders Reveal Party

The crime of J.B Pritzker and Brandon Johnson in this episode of American history is called subversion at the least , but could be as serious as treason.

Inside the Public School Librarian Jihad to Keep Transgender Propaganda on Shelves

Public school librarians are doing all they can to keep child tranny propaganda flowing directly into the malleable minds of their charges.

Five Reasons Why The Latest Czech Elections Were So Important

Populist-nationalist politician Andrej Babis is poised to return to the premiership after his party's victory. Here are 5 reasons why this is so important.

New York AG Letitia James Indicted on Federal Charges

New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted by a grand jury on federal charges, according to an indictment on unsealed on Thursday.

6 Ways Vaccine Policy Has Changed Under RFK Jr.

Health Sec RFK, Jr. and officials at the HHS changed recommendations and policies for multiple vaccines, including shots against COVID-19 and measles.

Journalists Recount Antifa Violence in Roundtable With Trump

President Trump met at the White House with journalists attacked by the newly designated terrorist group Antifa, joined by Cabinet officials for a roundtable.

IRS to Furlough 34,000 Employees as Government Shutdown Halts Treasury Operations

The IRS said in an emergency message to staff that it will furlough more than 34,000 employees starting on Oct. 8 due to the government shutdown.

Trump Says He May Invoke Insurrection Act in Portland If Necessary

President Donald Trump on Oct. 6 said he may consider invoking the Insurrection Act in Portland, Oregon, if necessary.

Trump: All Medium, Heavy Duty Trucks Entering US Will See 25 Percent Tariff on Nov. 1

President Trump announced on Monday that all medium and heavy-duty trucks entering the United States will see a 25 percent tariff starting on Nov. 1.

Treasury Names Social Security Commissioner as CEO of IRS

Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent announced that Frank Bisignano, the head of the Social Security Administration (SSA), will also serve as CEO of the IRS.

Agencies Terminated, Descoped 94 Wasteful Contracts With $8.5 Billion Ceiling Value, Says DOGE

Various federal government agencies have terminated and descoped 94 wasteful contracts over the past five days, DOGE said in an Oct. 4 post on X.
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central