Upon researchers in South Africa first spotting the omicron variant of the coronavirus last week, the global race to contain the latest strain is on, prompting President Joe Biden on Monday to urge Americans to remain vigilant in safeguarding their health. “We’re throwing everything we can at this and we are tracking it from every angle,” Biden said from the White House on Monday. The White House COVID-19 response team and the administration’s Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci met just 24 hours ago to discuss the severity and transmissibility of the variant. Fauci told the president it may be a few weeks until the U.S. develops a concrete understanding of omicron’s impact. Fauci did, however, emphasize that existing vaccines will provide a degree of protection against the most severe infections.   “The very day the WHO identified the new variant, I took immediate steps to restrict travel from countries in Southern Africa and while travel restrictions can slow the speed of omicron, it cannot prevent it. But here’s what it does, it gives us time. Time to take more actions, move quicker and make sure people understand, you have to get your vaccine and your booster. Sooner or later, we will see omicron cases here in the U.S. and we will have to face that threat just as we have faced threats before it,” Biden said Monday before adding that omicron is a cause for concern, not panic. Read more