Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that more than 4,800 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the United States for the first time in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil. The actual number of cases is probably higher – this number represents only the cases that were observed using genomic sequencing, the agency said.
The decline in cases reported by officials earlier this year appears to have leveled off, which worries experts.
“Based on our previous experience in this country and in other countries, when you see a plateau, it predicts new growth,” infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist Dr. Celine Gounder told CNN on Sunday. “And we have these new variants that can also fuel more severe growth.”
Meanwhile, the journey reaches pandemic records
In Miami Beach, Mayor Dan Gelber said over the weekend that local officials see “too much spring activity.”
“We have a problem with too many people coming here,” the mayor said. “We have a problem with too many people coming here to break free.”
Meanwhile, air travel across the country has reached pandemic records.
More than 1.3 million people were examined at airports on Friday – the highest number since March 15, 2020, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
“It was the 8th day of this month when the yield exceeded (one million). If you plan to travel, please wear a mask,” Farbstein added.
Good news for vaccines
To date, more than 69.7 million people have received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine. More than 37.4 million are fully vaccinated – about 11.3% of the US population.
On Sunday, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and a current member of the Pfizer commission, provided more encouraging news.
“All the evidence in all vaccines now points in the direction that these vaccines reduce asymptomatic infection and reduce transmission,” he told CBS.
“If this is the case, the vaccine creates what we call ‘bottomless hosts’ – a lot of bottomless hosts – which means people will no longer be able to transmit the infection,” Gottlieb added.
“What we saw was the first installment of what you can do if you’re vaccinated … what you can do at home, with people who are vaccinated together or people who are vaccinated with an unvaccinated person,” Fauci told CNN Sunday.
“You will soon see similar types of guidance for the American public, in terms of travel, work, all sorts of different things,” he added. “You will soon see these types of guidelines coming out.”
Vaccination Policy Division
Health experts estimate that somewhere between 70% and 85% of the US population needs to be vaccinated for the country to achieve herd immunity to Covid-19. But major challenges remain, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said last week, including “constrained vaccine supply, continued vaccine hesitation and growing myths and misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines.”
Another challenge: a political divide between Americans who intend to shoot.
A CNN poll conducted by SSRS, which was launched on Thursday, shows that while 92% of Democrats say they have received a dose of vaccine or intend to receive one, it falls to 50% among Republicans.
It is a finding, the governor of Arkansas, Asa Hutchinson, called “worrying.”
In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp told a news conference late last week that the state is facing the hesitation of the vaccine from white Republicans in several communities.
Another poll, conducted by NPR / PBS NewsHour / Marist, found that nearly half – 47% – of those who supported President Donald Trump in the 2020 election said they would not receive a Covid-19 vaccine if he will be available to them, while only about 10% of those who supported President Joe Biden said they would not receive a vaccine.
Fauci told Fox News Sunday that he thought Trump was telling Republicans to get vaccinated “will make all the difference in the world.”
“She is a very popular Republican. If he came out and said, “Go and get vaccinated, it’s very important for your health, the health of your family and the health of the country,” it seems absolutely inevitable that the vast majority of people who are close to him would listen to him. said Fauci.
Michael Nedelman, Anjali Huynh, Hollie Silverman and Naomi Thomas contributed to this report.