New Case Of COVID-19 Omicron Variant As President Biden Works To Slow Spread
MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- The U.S. now has two confirmed cases of the Omicron variant. The latest person is a Minnesota man who recently traveled to New York City for an anime convention, who was vaccinated and received a booster. He developed mild symptoms on Nov. 22, tested positive on Nov. 24, and reportedly no longer has symptoms.
With the coronavirus Omicron variant now here, President Biden is pulling out all the stops to contain it.
President Biden visited the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland to announce a new plan for those entering the country on international flights.
Everyone, including those who are vaccinated, must now get tested for COVID a day before departing for the U.S.
"This tighter testing timetable provides an added degree of protection as scientists continue to study the omicron variant," said President Biden.
The President is also extending mask mandates on public transportation through mid-March.
He'll launch family vaccination clinics and will require health insurers to cover the costs of at home COVID tests. He also announced a nationwide campaign to get vaccinated people their booster shots.
"If you want to know exactly where to go, text your zip code to 438829 to find out where you can get your booster shot now. Now."
The domestic travel mask mandate was originally slated to expire in January. It applies to travel via rail and all other public transportation.
The person with the first confirmed case of the Omicron variant in the U.S. a traveler who recently returned to San Francisco, California from South Africa, was vaccinated but was not yet eligible to get a booster shot.
After first being identified in South Africa last week, the strain has now been detected in more than 25 countries.
The CDC has directed airlines to provide the names of any passengers who traveled within the past 14 days to the eight southern African nations near the location where the variant was first detected.
Health officials expect to find more cases as genetic sequencing across the country continues.
The World Health Organization is advising people with lowered immunity or who are not vaccinated to postpone travel for now.