The US on Wednesday surpassed 30 million cases of COVID-19, highlighting the continuing threat of the virus, even as the country moves forward in vaccination.
Although new cases per day have declined significantly since their peak in January, positivity totals remain high, at around 55,000 cases per day.
As more vulnerable people are vaccinated, the number of deaths decreases, but there are still about 1,000 people dying from the virus every day.
After a year of pandemic, Americans seem to be getting restless after months of confinement.
Scenes of hundreds of spring waves flooding the streets, beaches and restaurants of Miami Beach, Florida, prompted health officials to ask people not to let their guard down.
Health officials have also warned against states lifting restrictions on coronavirus until a larger portion of the population is vaccinated.
Leaders in states like Texas and Mississippi have lifted restrictions on coronavirus, including mask orders and corporate social distance requirements.
“When people always ask me, ‘Are we around the corner?’ my answer is really more like, ‘We’re on the corner. Whether or not we turn that corner is yet to be seen, ‘” Anthony Fauci
Anthony FauciThe Hill Morning Report – Biden Leans Strongly Towards Control of Health Weapons Overnight: AstraZeneca may have included outdated data on vaccine testing, officials say | Pelosi says drug pricing measure under discussion for infrastructure package | The Biden government extends ObamaCare special registrations until August. The Hill’s 12:30 Report – Presented by Facebook – Happy birthday to ObamaCare MORE, the government’s leading infectious disease expert, said at a meeting at the White House on Wednesday.
With about 55,000 cases every day, “I don’t think you can declare victory and say you have turned the corner,” he added. “You have to continue to do what we are doing: more vaccines and continue to take public health measures until we really fold the page.”
The country is now vaccinating people at a solid pace, about 2.5 million vaccines a day.
Among people aged 65 and over, the most vulnerable group, 70% have already received at least one injection, according to the Disease Control and Prevention Data Centers.
Still, among all adults, about 18 percent are fully vaccinated and 33 percent have received at least one dose, highlighting that there is still a significant way to vaccinate the public before a complete “return to normal” can occur.
Experts say people should still wear masks when in public and avoid crowds and travel.
“I am still concerned by the latest data and the apparent stagnation we are seeing in the path of the pandemic,” said the Director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Rochelle WalenskyRochelle Walensky’s morning report The Hill – Biden leans heavily for health weapon control overnight: AstraZeneca may have included outdated data on vaccine testing, officials say | Pelosi says drug pricing measure under discussion for infrastructure package | The Biden administration extends special ObamaCare registrations until August. Teachers’ union “not convinced” of CDC’s orientation to reduce classroom spacing MORE said Wednesday. “The CDC is watching these numbers closely. As I said on Monday, the decisions we make now will determine what the pandemic will look like in the coming days and weeks. “