Washington, Dec 22: US President Joe Biden said 500 million at-home rapid Covid-19 tests will be made available at no cost amid new rules imposed to tackle the rise in Omicron cases.
Biden said in a tweet on: “We’re purchasing 500 million at-home rapid COVID tests that will be distributed for free to Americans who want them.”
“This is not March of 2020. We’re prepared. We know more,” BBC quoted him as saying at a press conference on Tuesday.
He also urged the people to get vaccinated to protect themselves from Omicron.
Omicron has become the dominant strain in the US.
On Tuesday, the US reported its first confirmed Omicron-related death.
According to the CDC data, this variant has caused over 73 per cent new Covid-19 cases in the US last week.
On the vaccine mandate, the President said, “My administration has put them in place not to control your life, but to save your life and the lives of others.”
