The latest on the coronavirus pandemic and the Omicron variant

President Biden acknowledged his administration has struggled to meet demand for Covid-19 tests in an interview with ABC News Wednesday, telling David Muir, “Nothing’s been good enough.” 

Biden acknowledged the administration is “chasing” the highly transmissible Omicron variant, telling ABC, “We are chasing Omicron, but the fact that matter is, we’re chasing whatever comes on the scene that hadn't been there before– and this wasn't there this last summer, for example.” 

“But what do you plan for? You plan for what you think is available, that is the most likely threat that exists at the time, and you respond to it,” Biden continued. “And I think that that's exactly what we've done, and so for example, Omicron is spreading rapidly, but the death rates are much, much lower than they were. This is not March of 2020 is a very different time that we're in now.” 

Biden said he expects the rapid tests his administration have ordered “will start going out in the beginning of January, because they're being produced now,” and confirmed that he, and members of his family, would test before celebrating Christmas together in person this weekend.

He also confirmed that while vaccine requirements for domestic air travel were considered, “the recommendation I've gotten is not necessary.”

A staffer who was in close contact with US Vice President Kamala Harris throughout the day Tuesday received a positive test result for Covid-19 this morning, Symone Sanders, senior advisor and chief spokesperson for the vice president, said in a statement. 

Per the White House, Harris is tested “on a regular basis” and tested negative on an antigen test this morning. “Earlier today, after being notified of the staffer’s positive test, the Vice President received a PCR test and tested negative. She will be tested again on Friday then again on Monday per CDC guidance,” Sanders wrote.

Harris will not quarantine, and will travel to Los Angeles this evening for the holidays.

Washington, DC, reported 1,524 new Covid-19 cases Tuesday – a new daily record for the city. The number of daily cases has gone up every day over the past week with the city averaging more than a thousand new cases a day since Dec. 19. 

The DC Health Department reported no new deaths for Tuesday. 

The three day period from Friday through Sunday saw 3,763 new Covid-19 cases in the district, according to the health department.

At a news conference Wednesday, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the city will require proof of vaccination at restaurants, gyms and other gathering places for patrons over 12-years-old beginning Jan. 15. Patrons will be required to show proof of at least one vaccine dose.

Bowser also announced that beginning March 1, Covid-19 vaccines will be mandated for all students in DC who are eligible to receive vaccines.

The majority of New York state’s new Covid-19 cases are concentrated in New York City and its surrounding counties, newly-released state data shows. 

Nearly 60% of new Covid-19 cases reported across New York state are in New York City. Of the 28,924 new Covid-19 cases reported across New York state, 17,221 cases are in New York City, the data shows.

Of New York City’s five boroughs, Brooklyn currently has the highest seven-day Covid-19 positivity rate of 8.65%, followed by Queens and Manhattan at 8.33% and 8.30% respectively. 

The counties outside of the city with the next-highest case counts comprise nearby Long Island, just east of New York City. Nassau County has 2,468 new cases and Suffolk County has 2,138 new cases. Westchester County, which borders New York City to the north, has 1,400 new cases.

All 54 of New York state’s remaining counties have new case counts of under 600, with the majority having case counts of under 100.

The state data also shows that 57 more New Yorkers have died due to Covid-19, bringing the state’s overall pandemic death toll to 47,728 people.

White House Covid-19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zients welcomed news of the FDA’s emergency authorization of Pfizer’s antiviral pill Wednesday, telling reporters the treatment “dramatically reduces the risk of hospitalizations and deaths for those at risk.”

“Knowing that these pills take time to manufacture, Pfizer continues to increase their production plans, and now that the pill is authorized, we'll have discussions to explore how we can help them improve their manufacturing capacity even further by providing any resources needed," he continued.  

Per Zients, the White House has purchased 10 million courses of Pfizer’s antiviral treatment, with 265,000 available in January and “with monthly totals of pills ramping up across the year and all 10 million treatment courses delivered by late summer.”

“As quickly as Pfizer gets the pills manufactured and delivered, we will immediately provide them to states and jurisdictions for distribution,” Zients told reporters, with a focus on equitable distribution according to need.

“We are not only urging states to ensure equity in their own distribution plans, but we are also distributing antivirals directly to community health centers across the country — this will help ensure these life-saving antivirals are available to the most vulnerable communities and hard-hit populations across the country," he added.

Earlier Wednesday: President Biden applauded in a statement the FDA emergency use authorization of Pifzer’s antiviral pill, writing, “With today’s action, we add the first-ever oral treatment to our nation’s medicine cabinet and take a significant step forward in our path out of the pandemic.”

“As soon as emerging science showed the promise of this antiviral, we acted quickly and aggressively to pre-purchase 10 million treatment courses — more than any other country in the world,” Biden writes, pledging over 250,000 treatment courses to be available starting in January, adding “we will be working with states to ensure those are being distributed equitably and fairly and that our hardest-hit communities are reached.”

In closing, Biden pledged “any resource needed” to ensure distribution, including using the Defense Production Act “if warranted.”

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro  Sánchez announced he would be holding an “extraordinary cabinet meeting” on Thursday to approve the mandatory use of face masks outdoors starting on Dec. 24.  

The country previously ended outdoor mask requirements in June, but wearing masks remains mandatory in crowded outdoor spaces and public indoor spaces. 

In a news conference earlier Wednesday, Sánchez outlined some situations where wearing a mask outdoors would not be necessary, including when practicing sports. He also stressed the government’s plan to “intensify the process of vaccination” to ensure people’s protection against the virus. 

“What we want to do is to intensify the vaccination campaign. The most important measure to fight back during this stage of the pandemic is to intensify and accelerate the process of vaccination, by emphasizing the third dose,” Sánchez said. 

“Science tells us that it protects against contagion and severity of the disease," he added.

The prime minister went on to offer further details on how the government expects to accelerate vaccinations, with the aim of vaccinating 80% of the population between 60 and 69 years old with a third dose before the end of the year.

Sánchez reminded everyone that Spain is in a much better position when compared to last year, due to the availability and circulation of the vaccines. 

“These are formidable and extraordinary figures. We are better prepared to face the pandemic," the prime minister added. 

Sánchez was later asked why the Spanish government opted to reinstate masks outdoors, rather than take other nationwide actions, such as limiting the capacity of clubs and restaurants, to which the Spanish prime minister said regional governments are in control of their jurisdictions, meaning it's up to them to "make that decision."

The announcement of Spain’s latest measures comes as the country registered at least 60,041 new daily cases, making it the second consecutive day of record increase in cases in a single day, according to the Spanish Ministry of Health’s latest data.

New York state reported 28,924 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, marking a nearly 24% increase from the state’s previous daily case record of 23,391 cases reported on Monday. 

Wednesday’s case report marks the fifth time in less than a week that New York state has broken its own record of highest daily cases. Cases temporarily decreased by over 1,000 on Tuesday, before breaking the record again on Wednesday.

Currently, at least 4,452 people across New York are hospitalized due to Covid-19, but Gov. Kathy Hochul noted that while the hospitalization rate is “creeping up,” the state’s rate is still only two thirds of what it was in December 2020.

“We’re not panicking. We have the resources we need,” Hochul said.

The governor also said Wednesday that 12 new state-run Covid-19 testing sites will open in New York state, including at least one in each borough of New York City.

Additionally, two walk-in testing sites will be set up at the Times Square-42nd Street and Grand Central Terminal subway stations beginning on Monday. Covid-19 testing at five additional to-be-announced subway stations will also begin next week.

“This marks the first time state-funded COVID-19 PCR testing will be conducted at subway stations in New York City,” according to a press release from the MTA.

The state-funded program allows anyone to be tested for Covid-19 without an appointment, including tourists and other visitors to New York City, the MTA said.

President Biden applauded the FDA emergency use authorization of Pfizer’s antiviral pill Wednesday, pledging more than 250,000 treatment courses to be available starting in January.

He said in a statement, “We will be working with states to ensure those are being distributed equitably and fairly and that our hardest-hit communities are reached.”

Biden pledged “any resource needed” to ensure distribution, including using the Defense Production Act “if warranted.”

More on the pill: This is the first antiviral Covid-19 pill authorized for ill people to take at home, before they get sick enough to be hospitalized.

High-risk individuals age 12 and older who weigh at least 88 pounds and have a positive SARS-CoV-2 test are eligible for this treatment and will need to have it prescribed by a doctor.

The pill "should be initiated as soon as possible after diagnosis of Covid-19 and within five days of symptom onset," according to an FDA statement.

Paxlovid combines a new antiviral drug named nirmatrelvir and an older one called ritonavir and is administered as three pills given twice a day for five days.

CNN's Jamie Gumbrecht and Amanda Sealy contributed reporting to this post.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published its latest data Wednesday on vaccination efforts in the United States. Here's a snapshot of the figures:

Note: CDC data on Covid-19 vaccinations are estimates. The agency notes that data on people who are fully vaccinated and those with a booster dose may be underestimated, while data on people with at least one dose may be overestimated.