Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testified during a Senate Health, Education, Work and Pensions Committee hearing on the federal response to the coronavirus on Capitol Hill on March 18, 2021 in Washington, D
ATLANTA – Health officials are concerned that some COVID-19 indicators are trending in the wrong direction, such as new cases and hospitalizations, despite more Americans being vaccinated.
The director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Rochelle Walensky, said on Friday that the country recorded a 7-day average of about 57,000 new cases of Covid-19 a day, a 7% jump from the week. previous. Walensky added that new hospitalizations increased slightly, with about 4,700 hospitalizations per day.
“I remain deeply concerned about this trajectory. We have seen cases and hospital admissions move from historic declines to stagnations and increases,” said Walensky. “And we know from previous outbreaks that if we don’t get things under control now, there is real potential for the epidemic curve to rise again.”
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However, COVID-19 vaccinations continue to increase across the country. According to the CDC, nearly 92 million Americans have received at least one dose of the vaccine. More than 50 million Americans have been fully vaccinated, representing 15.1% of the total US population. Several states have already reduced the age requirement to receive the vaccine to allow more people to be injected.
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The White House has announced that Johnson & Johnson is due to deliver 11 million doses of the vaccine next week.
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Walenksy and other top health officials expressed concern that states were easing their restrictions too soon. Some states have withdrawn their masking mandates, such as Texas and Mississippi. Cities like Los Angeles have reopened indoor dining rooms and cinemas with limited capacity.
Health officials recommend that people continue to wear their masks and remain socially distant.
“This has been a long year and I know people are tired and don’t want to hear that it will take a little longer, but it will take a little longer,” said Walensky.
This story was reported from Los Angeles.