WASHINGTON —

President Joe Biden rolled up his sleeve and got his updated COVID-19 booster shot Tuesday, as he urged millions of people who have yet to be boosted to do so by Halloween, if possible, so they can gather safely with family and friends this holiday season.

“Get vaccinated,” he said, noting that it's free. “Not enough people are getting it.”

Biden also called on Congress to provide the billions of dollars the administration has requested to buy additional vaccines, tests and treatments. Some lawmakers have balked at the request for more than $20 billion in new coronavirus funding.

Biden, who was flanked by his COVID-19 response team, declared that the fight against the spread of the virus is global in nature and the “funding we seek is critical” to that effort.

Over 20 million people, including nearly 1 in 5 older adults, have gotten the updated COVID-19 booster, the White House said. The vaccine has been reformulated to target the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of omicron, the most dominant strains in the United States.

Biden said more people need to get the vaccine as winter approaches and they will be spending more time indoors and potentially spreading sickness. He added that the vaccine is available free of charge within 5 miles of where most people live.

He urged people to get the coronavirus booster at the same time they get an annual flu shot. He said a COVID-19 booster will become an annual event.

“For most Americans, one COVID shot each year will be all they need,” Biden said at the White House. “And if you get it, you'll be protected. And if you don't, you're putting yourself and other people at unnecessary risk.”

“I'm calling on All Americans ... all Americans to get their shot, just as soon as they can,” he said.

A member of the White House Medical Unit gave the shot to Biden in his left arm. He had to delay getting his booster, in accordance with federal health guidance, because he was infected with COVID-19 over the summer.

Biden again called on businesses, schools and civic leaders to help, including by holding on-site vaccination clinics and giving employees time off to get boosted. Most deaths from COVID-19 are now preventable, he said.

Three respiratory viruses are currently circulating in the U.S: the flu, COVID-19 and RSV, respiratory syncytial virus, said Dr. Ashish Jha, leader of the White House response.

Jha said during morning TV appearances that the combination of a flu shot and updated COVID booster will help people avoid serious illness and stay out of the hospital as they get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving and other holidays with friends and family.

RSV has been affecting children, and there is no shot available to treat it, though companies are working to develop one, he said.

“So if people went out and got their vaccines, we could really get through this without getting into a lot of trouble,” Jha said Tuesday on “CBS Mornings.”

“If you’re relying on your old vaccine from nine months ago or an infection from a year ago, that’s probably not going to be good enough and that’s one of the reasons we’re urging all Americans — but particularly older Americans, particularly seniors — to get the new updated COVID vaccine, because I do think it’s going to make a really big difference," Jha said on “Today” on NBC.

Biden had to wait a few months to get his updated COVID booster because he was infected, then reinfected, with COVID-19 over the summer.

President Joe Biden on Thursday addressed the nation, touting his administration's efforts to have employers and industries require workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Biden delivered his remarks from Elk Grove Village, Illinois, a Chicago suburb.

"We know there is no other way to beat the pandemic than to get the vast majority of Americans vaccinated," Biden said.

In September, Biden laid out a six-pronged plan to combat COVID-19 this fall.

Part of that plan included a new rule from the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that will require all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated. That provision also requires workers who remain unvaccinated to produce a negative test result on at least a weekly basis before coming to work.

"In total, this Labor Department vaccination requirement will cover 100 million Americans," Biden said.

Biden has also signed executive orders requiring all federal workers to be vaccinated and all contractors working with the federal government to be vaccinated.

Since his directive was implemented within the military, Biden said vaccinations rates among active-duty members went from 67% to 97%.

Biden asserted that this continues to be a pandemic of the unvaccinated, which is having an effect on the economy.

"Increased vaccination results in as many as 5 million American workers going back to work because they feel safe they can go back to work," Biden stated.

Biden appeared hopeful that cases will continue to come down if more people get vaccinated. He said cases have dropped by 40% over the last month. He added that rates of hospitalizations and deaths have also fallen.

"We're headed in the right direction if we keep our eye on the ball," he said.

President Joe Biden on Friday celebrated the U.S.'s accomplishment in distributing 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in his first 150 days in office, calling it a "truly American accomplishment."

In remarks from the White House, Biden celebrated the fact that the mass vaccination program has delivered real-world results — COVID-19 infections and deaths are at their lowest points since the virus arrived in America in March 2020.

"Folks, we're heading into a very different summer from last year. A bright summer, one filled with hope," Biden said.

In a statement released Friday, the White House noted that the rate of vaccination has exploded since Biden took office on Jan. 20. As of Friday, 87% of seniors and 74% of adults over 40 have received at least one shot, and 15 states have partially vaccinated 70% of their adult population.

However, time is running short on Biden's current vaccination goal. He has said he hopes to have 70% of U.S. adults partially vaccinated by July 4 — with 16 days remaining, the CDC says 65% of adults have gotten at least one shot.

According to Bloomberg, the daily rate of distributed doses fell steadily between mid-April and early June. However, the daily vaccination rate has been on the rise in recent weeks.

The recent rise in vaccinations comes as the Biden administration has partnered with several large businesses to incentivize Americans to get a shot. The White House has partnered with chain retailers to offer sweepstakes to those who get vaccinated in-store, sports teams to offer free tickets to fans who present proof of vaccination and brewers to offer free beers when the U.S. reaches the 70% goal.

Several states have launched their own incentive programs, like Ohio's vaccine lottery that offers grand prizes of $1 million or free college scholarships.

In addition to offering incentives, the Biden White House has partnered with pharmacy chains to extend their hours of operation to make vaccinations more convenient, partnered with childcare centers to offer free drop-in care for those who are getting the vaccine and offered tax credits to small and medium-sized businesses that allow employees to take a day off work to get vaccinated.