WASHINGTON - US President Joe Biden does not plan on "locking the country down" in response to a surge in coronavirus cases, the White House said Monday.

Biden, in a speech he is to deliver on Tuesday, will stress the benefits of vaccination against Covid-19, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

"This is not a speech about locking the country down," Psaki told reporters.

"This is a speech outlining and being direct and clear with the American people about the benefits of being vaccinated, the steps we're going to take to increase access and to increase testing."

AFP