Biden speaking on new COVID measures Tuesday

Posted: Dec 18, 2021 / 04:05 PM EST

Updated: Dec 18, 2021 / 04:05 PM EST

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**Related Video Above: Ohio’s health leaders say we’re ‘preparing for an omicron tidal wave’**

WASHIINGTON (WJW) — President Joe Biden plans to give an update Tuesday regarding the omicron variant and what his administration plans to do as cases surge across the country.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki made the upcoming speech announcement Saturday afternoon in a series of tweets, offering a window into what the president is going to speak on:

We are prepared for the rising case levels, and @POTUS will detail how we will respond to this challenge. He will remind Americans that they can protect themselves from severe illness from COVID-19 by getting vaccinated and getting their booster shot when they are eligible.
— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) December 18, 2021

Biden last spoke on the variant after a coronavirus briefing at the White House Thursday, urging everyone to get vaccinated while also explaining the spread could be worse.

“I want to send a direct message to the American people: Due to the steps we’ve taken, omicron has not yet spread as fast as it would have otherwise done,” Biden said.

As of Saturday, the omicron variant has been reported in 89 countries, according to the World Health Organization. The new variant, which was first reported in South Africa last month, is also now reported in Northeast Ohio labs. On Friday, the Cleveland Clinic said it estimates half its positive samples are omicron.

The Ohio Department of Health reported more than 10,000 new cases of COVID Saturday, along with 265 new hospitalizations. It was not reported how many of those were omicron variant.