Statement from White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zients on First Case of the Omicron COVID-19 Variant in the United States
Today, the CDC has confirmed the first case of the Omicron variant detected in the United States.
As the President said last Friday, it was only a matter of time before the first case of Omicron was detected in the U.S. We are prepared to meet this challenge with science and speed.
The President’s medical team continues to believe that existing vaccines will provide some level of protection against severe illness from Omicron, and individuals who have gotten boosters have even stronger protection. As such, we urge all adults to get their booster shots and to get themselves and their kids vaccinated, if they haven’t already.
The President will have more to say about our strategy for fighting COVID this winter tomorrow, but for now, we know that: This new variant is cause for continued vigilance, not panic. We know what it takes to limit the spread of COVID: Get vaccinated, get boosted, and take public health measures like masking and distancing.
We will remain steadfast in our fight against this virus. And we will continue to be guided by the science and proven public health measures to keep people safe.
###
