INTERNATIONAL: U.S. President Joe Biden has announced on Monday that his administration has to "do more" to provide COVID-19 testing, as the number of cases nationwide surges due to the omicron variant. Biden has made the comments during a virtual meeting with state governors on Monday.

The Biden administration has faced criticism for a shortage in the availability of rapid coronavirus tests.

Biden has announced that his administration will be purchasing 500 million rapid at-home tests, which, he said will be "sent to the American people for free that request it."

To ensure equitable access to free at-home tests for all uninsured and underserved communities, the President will double the commitment to distribute 25 million free tests to community sites to 50 million tests and will add rural clinics to the program. Partnerships with trusted community providers will aid in getting these important testing supplies into the homes of hardest-hit communities.

President Joe Biden has said that he would support an effort to shorten COVID-19 quarantine requirements for those who test positive if U.S. health authorities recommend such a change.

U.S. health authorities have currently recommended a 10-day quarantine period for most Americans who test positive for COVID-19 but last week healthcare workers who contract the virus can return to work after seven days of isolation.