Joe Biden criticized his administration’s own handling of the coronavirus pandemic, admitting the response hasn’t been ‘good enough’ as the Omicron variant spreads like wildfire, leading to a massive surge ahead of Christmas.
‘We’re nearly two years into this pandemic, you’re a year into the presidency. Empty shelves and no test kits in some places – three days before Christmas when it’s so important. Is that good enough?’ ABC’s David Muir asked the president, in an interview that aired on Wednesday evening.
‘No, nothing’s been good enough,’ Biden replied.
‘But look, look where we are,’ he added of the progress.
‘Last Christmas we were in a situation where we had significantly fewer people vaccinated, emergency rooms were filled, we had serious backups in hospitals that were causing great difficulties.
‘We’re in a situation now where we have 200 million people fully vaccinated. And we have more than that who have had at least one shot – and we’re getting these booster shots, as well.’
He argued, though, that things have improved dramatically since Christmas 2020.
‘Nobody saw it coming. Nobody in the whole world,’ he said.
‘There could be other variants that come along. But what do you plan for? The most likely threat that exists at the time.’
President Joe Biden said in an interview that aired on ABC News Wednesday evening that his administration’s response to the pandemic has not ‘been good enough’
Biden sat down with ABC’s David Muir at the White House in an interview that aired three days before Christmas to discuss a range of issues – including the lack of testing kits around the country as COVID surges and American travel for the holidays
Asked if it was a failure of his administration, Biden replied: ‘I don’t think it’s a failure.’
He said: ‘I think it’s – you could argue that we should have known a year ago, six months ago, two months ago, a month ago.’
But he did express some regret about not ordering the rapid, at-home tests sooner.
‘I wish I had thought about ordering’ 500 million at-home tests ‘two months ago,’ he told Muir.
On Tuesday, Biden announced new measures to address the prevailing coronavirus pandemic as the latest variant interrupts thousands of Americans’ holiday plans.
During his remarks Tuesday and in his interview that aired Wednesday, the president assured vaccinated Americans who test negative that they can safely celebrate Christmas with their families this year, claiming the spike in cases is not indicative of another lockdown to come.
‘The docs who advise me on this are still saying if you are tested, if you know where you are in terms of having gotten your shots, there’s no reason you can’t get together with your family and your friends.
‘And we couldn’t do that last Christmas,’ Biden told Muir.
Asked why there was no vaccine mandate to get on a plane, Biden said he had considered it, but ruled it out.
‘It’s been considered but the recommendation I’ve gotten, it’s not necessary,’ Biden said.
‘Even with omicron. That’s the recommendation I got so far from the team.’
The president acknowledged during his Tuesday remarks that it can be hard to get an appointment for COVID testing – coughing into his hand as he made the point, as well as at another point during his remarks.
The administration, however, is facing backlash as a shortage of coronavirus testing kits ensued just as Omicron spread through the country and as thousands get ready to travel to see their families for Christmas this week.
The White House claims it didn’t predict the Omicron variant and holiday surge.
Massive lines have formed around the country for Americans to receive free at-home rapid COVID testing kits ahead of the holidays. Pictured: City residents wait in line in Philadelphia for their kits
Biden praised in his interview the 200 million Americans who are fully vaccinated
Cases have been surging in several hot spots, including Hawaii, Florida, Texas and New York as the Omicron variant spreads like wildfire across the country
Biden snapped when asked Tuesday if it was a failure that more tests weren’t available after experts who have advised the administration for months warned the nation needs a surge of kits.
‘No, it’s not,’ he shot back. ‘Because COVID is spreading so rapidly – notice it just happened almost overnight, just in the last month.’
In his July 4 speech on the South Lawn of the White House, Biden said the country was ‘closer than ever’ to gaining independence from COVID.
‘Do you think you over-promised?’ Muir asked.
‘No, we were closer to ever,’ Biden said. ‘But, there’s a lot we don’t know.’
