The following statement is attributable to:
Gerald E. Harmon, M.D.
President, American Medical Association              

“President Biden’s plan will make our communities—and the world—safer in the face of an evolving pandemic and confirmed cases of the Omicron variant. The education and outreach program to seniors will save lives by encouraging widespread acceptance of booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccines. About half of eligible seniors have received a booster dose, and this multipronged approach should help move the needle further. 

“Similarly, the expanded approach for vaccinating children five and older will help protect kids and allow schools to stay open. This, combined with making at-home testing more widely accessible, will ease the anxiety facing many working families. Physicians see a lot to like in this plan. We have rolled up our sleeves and will continue to play a pivotal role in safeguarding our patients and communities.

“The Omicron variant again reminds us that this is a worldwide pandemic. It will not end until all nations contribute to the widespread availability of vaccines. The U.S. is taking the lead with 1.2 billion donated vaccines and we expect other countries will follow. We are pleased that the Administration is pledging to deliver 200 million more doses in the next 100 days and we encourage the Biden Administration to continue to work on multiple fronts to vaccinate the globe.  

“To those who are unvaccinated, please do your part and get vaccinated to help reduce the toll of this virus on yourself and those you love. And to those who have not yet gotten the booster dose, do not wait. To help protect those who aren’t yet eligible for vaccination, we also urge the public to continue taking evidence-based public health precautions, such as physical distancing and wearing face masks.”