Biden to speak on omicron surge, more antiviral pills

By ZEKE MILLER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to address the nation as the U.S. sets new records for daily reported COVID-19 cases and his administration struggles to ease concerns about testing shortages, school closures and other disruptions from the surging omicron variant. Biden is to deliver remarks during a meeting with his COVID-19 response team at the White House. He’s looking both to convey his administration’s urgency and also to convince wary Americans that the current surge bears little resemblance to the onset of the pandemic or last year’s deadly winter. Biden has emphasized that vaccines, booster shots and therapeutic drugs have mitigated the danger for the overwhelming majority of Americans who are fully-vaccinated.