WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden on Tuesday is set to announce a number of new actions in the face of the rapidly-spreading omicron variant of the coronavirus, including access to 500 million free at-home COVID-19 tests for Americans, increased support for overwhelmed hospitals and more vaccination sites nationwide.As families and friends begin to gather together amid a second straight holiday season with COVID-19, scientists are racing to better understand the omicron variant and whether it causes more serious disease.
They do know that vaccination should offer strong protections against severe illness and death, which public health officials continue to push heading into the cold winter months.