US President Joe Biden has announced that he plans to request additional funding from Congress to develop a new Covid-19 vaccine, adding that it is likely everybody will be encouraged to take the new shot.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, the president was asked if the White House was planning a response to a reported uptick in Covid cases. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had previously announced a 21.6% increase in Covid-related hospitalizations and a 21.4% increase in Covid-related deaths in recent weeks. The numbers are, however, still far below the levels seen during the pandemic.
Biden responded by stating that he has already signed off on a proposal to have Congress fund a new vaccine “that is needed, that’s necessary, that works.”
“It will likely be recommended everybody get it no matter whether they’ve gotten it before or not,” he added.