Joe Biden faces his own headache over dealing with Covid-19

The US president is clear about the importance of boosters and vaccines – like the UK government – but the the tone of messaging will be important, writes Chris Stevenson

Joe Biden talking about Covid-19 from the White House (Reuters)

Not unlike Boris Johnson's government – although without the scandal surrounding Christmas parties – Joe Biden's administration is trying to plot a way through a likely winter surge in Covid-19 cases, with the Omicron variant complicating matters.

Both leaders have set out the importance of getting vaccinated – and the need for booster jabs – to try and deal with the impact of new cases. Speaking from the White House on Thursday, Biden said: “For the unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death for the unvaccinated – for themselves, their families and the hospitals they'll soon overwhelm ... If you're vaccinated and you have your booster shot, you're protected from severe illness and death.” The message is clear, with Omicron having spread to at least 89 nations according to the World Health Organisation.

While Johnson has faced a rebellion from Tory MPs over some Covid measures, Biden's vaccine mandates have faced multiple legal challenges, with some Republicans in Congress also willing to make a show of opposing such measures even when voting on other legislation. One bright spot just before the weekend was a federal appeals court ruling to reinstate a vaccine-or-testing mandate (set to begin on 4 January) for companies with more than 100 employees. But the fact that business groups swiftly filed an appeal to the Supreme Court shows the political situation over Covid is difficult.