Pres. Joe Biden Says There Will Be No Lockdowns; Focus Will Be on Vaccination and Boosters as U.S. Prepares for Winter

U.S. President Joe Biden said that he plans to fight COVID infections without new lockdowns or an expansion of the administration's current vaccination requirements. Biden noted that the administration will focus more on vaccinations and boosters, as well as testing a lot more, according to a CNBC report.

The president added that the plan will not expand or add to the vaccination mandates of the government, noting that it should get bipartisan support in his "humble opinion."

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will contact the more than 60 million people who are on Medicare to remind them to get an additional shot, which will mostly be seniors.

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U.S. President Joe Biden Winter COVID Plan

Free at-home COVID tests will be provided in the winter COVID plan, which will be supported by private insurers and community centers, according to a DW report. In addition, all incoming international passengers must be tested within one day of departure despite their vaccination status.

Public transport, including airplanes and trains, extended their mask requirements. A newly approved COVID treatment drug will be "equitably accessible."

Experts noted for months that masks and testing are also essential, adding that the testing will become even more urgent if the new Omicron variant is found to evade protection from vaccines.

Biden's COVID plan comes after Omicron was detected in the U.S. for the first time in California. The Omicron variant case was also found in a Minnesota resident after recently traveling to New York City.

Biden said that as the U.S. moves into the winter and faces the challenges of the new variant, he hopes the divisiveness surrounding the issue can be put behind, according to an ABC News Go report.

Biden also implied that there is a possibility that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will no longer suggest that schoolchildren quarantine for 14 days after exposure. The administration will instead be relying on the popular "test-to-stay' policy.

The policy will allow students to keep attending school as long as they test negative each day.

COVID Variant Omicron

Many health experts predict that there would be a surge in COVID cases as the United States prepare for winter, regardless of the possibility of Omicron's spread in the country, according to The New York Times report.

The COVID variant was first spotted by scientists in South Africa is now known to be present in more than 30 countries.

Scientists noted that it has mutations that may allow it to spread more quickly and cause more breakthrough infections in vaccinated or previously infected people. However, none of these characteristics of the variant has been confirmed.

Five people in New York City and Long Island have been reported to be infected with the Omicron variant, according to officials.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said that one of those who were infected was a 67-year-old woman who recently traveled to South Africa. Hochul said that the woman had been vaccinated and had mild COVID symptoms, adding that the new cases were "no cause for alarm."

Genetic sequencing is needed to determine which variant a patient has. However, the process takes time, which is usually around 10 days for it to show results.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by Mary Webber

WATCH: Biden unveils new strategy to tackle COVID-19 and Omicron variant - from CBS News