US preps vaccine contingencies amid panic over poorly understood omicron

Enlarge / Anthony Fauci (R), director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical adviser to the president, speaks alongside US President Joe Biden as he delivers remarks on the omicron COVID-19 variant following a meeting of the COVID-19 response team at the White House. (credit: Getty | Anna Moneymaker)

Amid global panic over the recently identified omicron coronavirus variant, US President Joe Biden on Monday urged Americans to stay calm and continue following health measures known to be highly effective at combating COVID-19-namely, masking, vaccination, and boosting.

"This variant is a cause for concern, not a cause for panic," Biden said in remarks delivered from the White House Monday. He touted the power of current vaccines and America's scientific prowess in being able to address the potential threat. "We'll fight this variant with scientific and knowledgeable actions and speed-not chaos and confusion."

Flanking Biden during the remarks was top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci. Earlier today, Biden huddled with Dr. Fauci and the rest of the White House COVID-19 Response Team to discuss the threat of omicron. Biden reported that, so far, Fauci and the team believe that current vaccines will "provide at least some protection" against omicron-particularly against severe disease-and that booster doses "strengthen that protection significantly."

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