(Newser)
– When assessing the state of the pandemic in the USA, the Christian Science Monitor he discovers that something new is emerging across the country: “a sense of cautious optimism”. This is mainly due to a sharp decline in cases in recent weeks, although there are also many potential problems on the horizon, including signs that the decline in cases has stopped and fears that New York Times calls a “fourth wave”. Roof:
- The decline: The United States saw about 250,000 new cases per day in early January, and the number dropped to about 54,000 in late February, according to the CSM. THE Times notes a 35% drop in cases this month, in addition to a 31% decline in hospitalizations. Deaths were also falling, though not so fast (16%), with 3,210 recorded on Wednesday.
- That means? These statistics lead Apoorva Mandavilli from Times write: “Is that it then? Is it the beginning of the end? After a year of being punished by gloomy statistics and scolded for wanting human contact, many Americans feel that a long-promised release is near.” Mandavilli interviewed 21 scientists, and most thought the worst was behind them. “This summer, they said, life can start to look normal again.”
- A great qualifier: In his New York Times newsletter, David Leonhardt calls attention to a potentially worrying trend: the number of new cases stopped declining in the US and worldwide in the last few days. Jim Edwards from Insider too take note. “Big question: are the new fast-moving variants (UK, California and New York) moving faster than vaccines?” he wonders.
- Fourth wave: These emerging variants are a major reason why most scientists interviewed by Mandavilli predict a “fourth wave” of the virus. “We are essentially facing a pandemic within a pandemic,” said Adam Kucharski, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. However, they emphasized that the wave can be avoided or at least silenced if Americans – and American officials – do not become compliant with the usual security protocols.
- Another good sign: Weekly cases of COVID in nursing homes in the United States have dropped an impressive 89% since December because of vaccinations, reports USA today. This overcomes the national decline by a wide margin.
- In short: “Wait a little longer,” said Dr. Ashleigh Tuite, from the University of Toronto, to the Times. “There is a lot of optimism and hope, but I think we need to be prepared for the fact that the next few months are likely to remain difficult.” Or how Raemecca Evans, who lost her job at a restaurant in Cincinnati because of the pandemic, poses for the CSM: “I mean, it got better.” But “it’s kind of a touch and go, for me.”
(Read more coronavirus stories.)