Biden vows to solve the problem of lack of diagnostic tests for Covid

US President Joe Biden vowed today to address the lack of diagnostic tests for Covid-19 as the Omicron variant spreads across the country and threatens to flood hospitals and disrupt many Americans’ vacation plans.

Biden said the government intends, among other things, to use the Defense Production Act to increase the production of self-tests and make it easier for Americans to locate test centers through Google. He acknowledged, however, that not enough has been done so far.

“Seeing how difficult it was for some to find a test this weekend shows us that we still have work to do,” Biden told a teleconference with some 20 statesmen and pandemic health officials. “Obviously, that is not enough. If we had known, we would have worked harder and faster if we could,” he added.

However, the American president called on the Americans not to panic. “Omicron is a source of concern, but it should not be a source of panic,” he said.

The increase in cases caused disruptions in air travel at Christmas, as many crews were injured, resulting in the cancellation of thousands of flights. The limited availability of tests blocked the plans of others. Today, American airlines canceled about 800 flights, for the fourth consecutive day.

Infections are rising across the United States, with an average of 205,509 new cases a day, according to Reuters estimates. On Sunday, Louisiana Gov. John Bell Edwards said hospitalizations in his state had doubled in a week and local health services urged citizens to be vigilant ahead of the New Year celebrations.

Biden also told the governors that due to the increase in cases, some hospitals may be flooded, especially in areas with a high rate of unvaccinated. He later told reporters that he would follow any instructions given by experts on how to reduce the 10-day quarantine that those tested positive for Covid-19 must comply with.

The US president has declined to say whether he agrees with the mandatory vaccination for domestic flights, another measure that government officials have been discussing in recent days.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the leading US epidemiologist, urged Americans to avoid large gatherings on New Year’s Eve so as not to increase the incidence. Although the government says people can be safely with their families if they are vaccinated, in higher concentrations they are at risk. “If we’re talking about New Year’s Eve parties… I highly recommend you avoid them this year. There will be other years to go, but not this year,” Fauci told CNN.