As the omicron variant of COVID-19 emerges as a major concern for the public, inconsistent and overlapping messages from the White House response team risk causing confusion over the status of the variant, the efficacy of vaccines, and what the end game is as the virus continues to spread.

The Biden administration is simultaneously pushing for people to get their first shots if they haven’t already, urging boosters for those already vaccinated, and warning that shots may need to be tweaked to account for the omicron variant. The administration has also enacted a travel ban on south African nations while acknowledging it won’t stop the new variant’s spread.