President Biden announces new winter COVID-19 plan

Columbia, Mo. (KMIZ.)

President Biden announced his plans to keep people safe as the omicron variant hits the US.

President Biden's Winter COVID-19 Plan includes:

• Boosters for All Adults
• Vaccinations to Protect Our Kids and Keep Our Schools Open
• Expanding Free At-Home Testing for Americans
• Stronger Public Health Protocols for Safe International Travel
• Protections in Workplaces to Keep Our Economy Open
• Rapid Response Teams to Help Battle Rising Cases
• Supplying Treatment Pills to Help Prevent Hospitalizations and Death
• Continued Commitment to Global Vaccination Efforts
• Steps to Ensure We Are Prepared for All Scenarios 

The president says he plans to "accelerate our efforts to vaccinate the rest of the world."

Not only are omicron variant cases rising around the world, but so are COVID-19 cases in Missouri.

According to The Department of Health and Senior Services, there are 2,470 new confirmed cases in Missouri on Thursday.

However, on Nov. 2, there were 1,549 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Within two weeks, COVID-19 cases in Missouri increased by almost a thousand cases per day.

At Jefferson City Medical Group, Ron Rockwood provides a couple of ways the facility will help ease the stress of its employees.

"You know, having additional staff to be able to step in and float you know in different positions I think will be the key in order for us to be able to provide the staff that are on those front lines day in and day out with the necessary breaks that they're going to need to keep them from getting burnt out," Rockwood said.

At MU Health Care Vice-Chair of Clinical Affairs, Laura Hesemann, said the facility is prepared for the possibility of yet another surge.

"It can be scary, but I think we've all gotten pretty good at dealing with the unknown," Hesemann said.

Hesemann says MU is ready for the challenges as omicron cases are beginning to hit the US.

"We just stay prepared for whatever comes at us. Always paying attention to whatever comes next. What seems to be developing um and making sure that those plans, we'll still address that," Hesemann said.

Health care facilities hope that with stricter COVID-19 plans, we'll start to see some light at the end of the tunnel.

"I'm optimistic we're going to be able to limit the overall spike that we'll be seeing again, you know we're in a different place than we were last year," Rockwood said.

President Biden said we will continue to move forward to face the omicron variant.