The new date is Dec 21, 2021.
The more infectious variant of omicron is now dominant in the U.S., so President Joe Biden is set to announce several steps to tackle it, including distributing 500 million free rapid tests to the public.
US President Joe Biden, flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Chief Medical Advisor to the President, Anthony Fauci, speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.
The images are from the same source.
The president will announce new measures later Tuesday, which will include the setting up of new federal testing sites and the deployment of hundreds of federal vaccinators, according to a statement released by the White House.
Biden will announce the allocation of critical supplies from the national stockpiles, including hundreds of millions of PPE equipment and over 100,000 ventilators, which will be placed in strategic locations across the United States to allow for their rapid deployment when needed.
The deployment of emergency response teams to Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Arizona, New Hampshire and Vermont will be announced by the president.
The Federal Emergency services will have to work with states and territories to prepare for a winter surge of hospital beds.
The Defense Production Act will be used by the White House.
An amendment to existing rules will allow pharmacy interns to work across state lines more easily.
The White House said at Monday's press briefing that the president does not plan to impose fresh lockdowns. She said that Biden will encourage people to get vaccinations and boost their immunity against omicron. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Monday that omicron has become the dominant variant in the US, accounting for over 70% of new cases. Biden was in close contact with a White House official who tested positive for Covid-19 on Air Force One, which was a sign of the widespread nature of the current outbreak. The president will be tested again on Wednesday after returning negative tests twice in the last week.
Biden will give 500 million free COVID-19 tests.
Biden plans to aid the military and 500 million tests to fight Omicron.
Coverage and live updates on the coronaviruses.
