Biden: "US Fight Against COVID Reaches New Phase... Towards Normal Daily Life"

Free COVID-19 Test Kits to Be Distributed Starting Next Week
"Remote Workers Will Return to Offices with Confidence"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyun-jung] U.S. President Joe Biden stated on the 1st (local time) that the United States has reached a new phase in the fight against COVID-19 after passing the peak of the surge in Omicron variant cases.

In his first State of the Union address at the joint session of Congress on the 1st (local time), President Biden emphasized, "Tonight, I can say that we are safely returning to a more normal life," adding, "We have reached a new phase in the fight against COVID-19."

He said, "For more than two years, COVID-19 has affected every decision in our lives and the life of this country, and now we know people are tired, frustrated, and exhausted," and announced that, according to new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more Americans may choose not to wear masks.

President Biden also mentioned, "Starting next week, Americans will be able to receive more free COVID-19 test kits from the federal government," and noted that offices will reopen so that remote workers can return to the office with confidence.

He went on to explain the lifting of pandemic restrictions and the removal of mask mandates in the U.S., declaring, "School and business closures can come to an end." He explained, "With 75% of adult Americans fully vaccinated and hospitalizations down by 77%, most Americans can safely remove masks, return to work, and stay in classrooms while moving about safely."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.