The highly contagious variant that first appeared in the UK has now spread to all 50 states – as experts warn that there are not enough vaccines to prevent it from causing another increase in cases.
More than 15,000 cases have already been detected in the United States for variant B117, which is believed to be more transmissible and deadly than previous versions, CNN reported.
“America seems to have ended the pandemic. The virus did not wipe us out, ”said Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.
Although vaccines are effective against the variant, they are not being launched fast enough to prevent the increase in cases.
“We will not have enough vaccines, the way we are going, in the arms of a sufficient number of Americans over the next six to 10 weeks with this increase that we are going to stop it,” said Osterholm. “It just won’t happen.”
Osterholm said vaccination efforts should focus on giving Americans as many first doses as possible.
“Now, with the increase that is about to take place, this is what we want to do now is to protect as many people as possible so that they do not contract serious illnesses, hospitalizations and death,” said Osterholm.
But Dr. Anthony Fauci warned against postponing second shots to prioritize getting as many shots as possible.
“You are in a fine zone if you don’t have the full impact,” said the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, about not receiving the full vaccination schedule.
“Therefore, there is some merit to the arguments presented. But now, given the number of vaccines that we can give every day, literally with each passing day, we are getting closer and closer to where we want to be. “
