Biden Urges Calm in the Face of Omicron Variant: ‘A Cause for Concern, Not a Cause for Panic’

President Joe Biden on Monday urged Americans to remain calm as the Omicron variant of Covid-19 threatens to begin a rampage across the globe.

“This variant is a cause for concern, not a cause for panic,” Biden said in an address from the White House. We have the best vaccine in the world, the best medicines, best scientists, and we’re learning more every single day. We’ll fight this variant with scientific and … knowledgeable actions and speed, not chaos and confusion.”

He argued the “best protection” against the variant was to become vaccinated against Covid-19, saying Dr. Anthony Fauci “believes that the current vaccines provide at least some protection against the new variant,” while booster shots “strengthen that protection significantly.” He also said the administration was looking into steps to develop additional booster shots as needed.

“We do not yet believe that additional measures will be needed,” Biden added. “But so that we are prepared, if needed, my team is already working with officials at Pfizer and Moderna and Johnson & Johnson to develop contingency plans for vaccines or boosters, if needed, and I will also direct the [Food and Drug Administration] and the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] to use the fastest process available without cutting any corners for safety to get such vaccines approved and on the market if needed.”

These comments come in light of a WHO spokesperson suggesting that it is too soon to call the new variant a health scare as there just is not enough data yet.

Watch above via CNN.