Global disease experts say little is known about China's experience with long-term COVID effects thought to have afflicted millions with debilitating fatigue, brain fog and other symptoms
However, the meeting he was referring to was later postponed after the new variant led to travel restrictions that would have prevented many participants from reaching Geneva.
"The news about this new variant should make clearer than ever why this pandemic will not end until we have global vaccinations," Biden said in a statement.
"This news today reiterates the importance of moving on this (waiving intellectual property protections) quickly."
The Biden administration faces fresh criticism over a failure to get vaccines to poorer countries while supplying free booster shots to Americans, after the new variant named Omicron was identified.