Biden pushes shots, not more restrictions as variant spreads

By ZEKE MILLER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is urging Americans to get vaccinated, including booster shots, as he seeks to quell concerns over the newly identified COVID-19 variant named omicron. But he won’t immediately push for more restrictions to stop the spread of the virus. That’s according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert. Fauci said Monday that there are as yet no cases of the variant identified in the U.S. but that it is “inevitable” that it will make its way into the country. Biden is expected to deliver remarks on the new variant at the White House later Monday.