US: Biden to pledge 500 million free Covid tests to counter Omicron, and urge more Americans get vaccinated

President to make major changes including free tests for first time, ordered via new website; previously expected people to pay, then claim money back

There will also be more testing sites, extra support for struggling hospitals; overall an emphasis ‘on the benefits of being vaccinated’

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US President Joe Biden in the White House on December 16, 2021. His speech today will focus on hundreds of millions of free Covid-19 tests and the benefits of vaccination, officials said. Photo: Reuters

Published: 11:28pm, 21 Dec 2021

With the Omicron variant on the march, President Joe Biden plans to announce 500 million free rapid tests for Americans, increased support for hospitals under strain and a redoubling of vaccination and boosting efforts.

In a speech scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, Biden is detailing major changes to his Covid-19 winter plan, his hand forced by the arrival of the fast-spreading variant, whose properties are yet not fully understood by scientists.

The world is confronting the prospect of a second straight holiday season with the virus as families and friends begin to gather. Scientists do not yet know whether Omicron causes more serious disease, but they do know that vaccination should offer strong protection against severe illness and death.

A pharmacy in New York advertising vaccines. Health officials and President Biden are urging more Americans to get vaccinated and receive booster shots. Photo: Getty Images

The White House provided details on the proposals Biden will announce in his speech.

A cornerstone of the plan is Biden’s decision for the government to purchase 500 million coronavirus rapid tests and ship them free to Americans starting in January. People will use a new website to order their tests, which will then be sent to them by US mail at no charge, the White House said.

It marks a major shift for Biden, who earlier had called for many Americans to purchase the hard-to-find tests on their own and then seek reimbursement from their health insurance.

People wait in Times Square, New York, to get tested for Covid-19 on December 20. The city has once again seen case numbers surge as the new Omicron variant becomes dominant. Photo: Getty Images

For the first time, the US government will send free Covid-19 tests directly to Americans, after more than a year of urging by public health experts.