US President Biden says not considering new vaccine mandates

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to the media before entering “Nantucket Bookworks” bookstore following lunch with family at the Nantucket Tap Room, in Nantucket island, Massachusetts, U.S, November 26, 2021. REUTERS/Tasos Katopodis

NANTUCKET, Mass — U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday his administration was not considering new vaccine mandates following the discovery of a new COVID-19 variant in South Africa, which led to travel bans from that country and seven other nations.

“We don’t know a lot about the variant except that it is of great concern,” Biden told reporters. “I decided that we are going to be cautious.”