- President Biden on Monday said the Omicron variant of the coronavirus was "not a cause for panic."
- "We'll fight this variant with scientific and knowledgeable actions and speed," he said.
- The new variant prompted Biden to issue a travel ban for several countries in southern Africa.
President Joe Biden on Monday sought to reassure Americans that the Omicron variant was not a "cause for panic," as the country prepares itself to tackle a new strain of the coronavirus.
"This variant is a cause for concern, not a cause for panic," the president said at the White House. "We have the best vaccine in the world, the best medicines, the 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. We have more tools today to fight the pandemic than we've ever had before — from vaccines to boosters to vaccines for children 5 years and older, and much more," Biden added.
Countries around the world, including the US, are seeking to stop the spread of the Omicron variant, which was first detected in South Africa. The rise of the variant led Biden to issue travel restrictions that took effect today for several countries in southern Africa: South Africa, Eswatini, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.
When asked about the decision on Friday, Biden told a group of reporters that he wanted to be "cautious."
"We don't know a lot about the variant except that it is of great concern; it seems to spread rapidly," he said at the time.
More than 776,000 people have died of the coronavirus in the US, with 48.2 million confirmed cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.