President Biden discussed the emergence of the new “Omicron” COVID variant that was first detected in southern Africa. The President moved to restrict travel from a handful of African nations immediately following reports of the new variant, which the CCP-affiliated World Health Organization (WHO) called “a variant of concern.” President Trump was characterized as a racist after enacting travel restrictions on China following the initial emergence of COVID-19.
Biden defended his travel restrictions in a statement on Monday. “While we have that travel restrictions can slow the speed of Omicron, it cannot prevent it,” Biden said. The President then said the travel restrictions would give Americans “time” to get vaccinated. “You have to get your vaccine, you have to get the shot, you have to get the booster,” Biden said.
According to a report from the government of Botswana, where cases of the variant were first recorded, all four infected individuals had been vaccinated. “The preliminary report revealed that all the four had been completely vaccinated for COVID-19,” reported the Botswana government.
MEDIA RELEASE#LetsDefeatCOVID19Together#AReFenyengCOVID19Mmogo 🇧🇼 pic.twitter.com/LVMbmtLQx4
— Botswana Government (@BWGovernment) November 25, 2021
Despite the report, Biden doubled down on pushing for increased vaccination and booster shots. “If you are vaccinated, but still worried about the new variant, get your booster. If you aren’t vaccinated, get that shot, go get that first shot,” Biden reiterated in his statement. The President also suggested that Christmas gatherings were not advised without vaccination. “If you and your family are fully vaccinated, you can celebrate the holidays much more safely,” Biden said.
Dr. Anthony Fauci has cast doubt on potential Christmas gatherings as early as October, long before the emergence of the new, supposedly alarming variant. “It is just too soon to tell. We have to concentrate on continuing to get those numbers down and not try to jump ahead by weeks or months and say what we’re going to do at a particular time,” Fauci told CBS in regards to Christmas gatherings.
