Biden says new COVID-19 surge not a moment for panic: 'This is not March of 2020'

President Joe Biden addressed the nation Tuesday about rising COVID-19 cases across the country, saying the surge should not be a cause of panic for vaccinated Americans while imploring the unvaccinated to get shots. 

"How concerned should you be about Omicron?" asked Biden. "If you're not fully vaccinated, you have good reason to be concerned," he said.

Biden said the vast majority of recent COVID deaths and serious cases have been among the unvaccinated. "I honest-to-God believe it's your patriotic duty" to get vaccinated, he said..

If you are fully immunized "you have much, much less reason to worry," he continued. 

Discussing the breakthrough nature the Omicron variant, which has quickly become the dominant variant in the United States, the president said, "there will be positive cases in every office," but they are not reason to panic.

"We should all be concerned about Omicron. But not panicked," he said, adding that those who are fully immunized should feel free to proceed with their holiday gathering plans. 

Biden repeatedly emphasized that the current situation differs vastly from March 2020, because, not only is the U.S. prepared and familiar with the effects of the virus, but, "thanks to the previous administration and the scientific community," he said, there are several vaccines available.

The president announced that the federal government has purchased 500 billion COVID-19 testing kits that will be available to Americans, for free, via a new website beginning in early January. The U.S. will continue to use the Defense Production Act to produce the necessary number of testing kits as swiftly as possible. And, the federal government has arranged for strategic stockpiles of medical equipment to be sent to hospitals that become overwhelmed during the winter surge of cases.

The president dodged questions about why it has taken so long get an adequate number of testing kits available to the American people.