As the United States approaches 30 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, the arrival of spring is bringing warmer weather to several parts of the country. However, health experts are raising concerns about the possibility of a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections.
New infections are on the rise in some states, even as the nation accelerates its vaccine rollout. The spread of COVID-19 variants and pandemic fatigue are contributing factors to the increase, according to reports from The Washington Post.
More states are lifting COVID-19 restrictions, but recent events like Florida declaring a state of emergency and imposing a curfew after large gatherings of spring breakers in Miami highlight the potential risks. The White House is urging states to slow the relaxation of COVID-19 guidelines, emphasizing that while overall new infection and hospitalization rates are decreasing, the number of people still affected by the virus remains high.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has warned that variants are the main cause for concern as restrictions are lifted. “We must act now, and I am worried that if we don't take the right actions now, we will have another avoidable surge – just as we are seeing in Europe right now and just as we are so aggressively scaling up vaccination,” Walensky stated during Monday’s White House COVID-19 briefing.
On a positive note, the U.S. may soon have a fourth COVID-19 vaccine on the market. AstraZeneca reported that their vaccine is 79% effective against the virus in a new study and has found no serious side effects, including the risk of blood clots that previously led to pauses in its use in several European countries. The company expects to file an application for approval with the Food and Drug Administration in the coming weeks.
According to the CDC, about 1 in 4 people in the U.S. have received at least one COVID-19 shot, and approximately 1 in 8 are fully vaccinated.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
