Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said on the “Today” program on Thursday that the US “is still seeing about 1,000 deaths a day”, which she noted is a figure excessive.
As for the number of daily infections, Walensky said, “What worries me is the steady flow of 50,000, 60,000 – and we continue to see that today.”
Walensky pointed to the first signs that vaccines are working, citing reduced mortality rates for people over 65. Even more infectious variants of Covid-19 are circulating, she warned.
The focus now is to vaccinate enough Americans to prevent outbreaks of infections and hospitalizations.
Even for those who are fully vaccinated, Wen said more precautions should be taken when interacting with others.
“We know that now, when there is such a high level of coronavirus circulating in our communities, that even people who are fully vaccinated where they are in public with others who have not been vaccinated, that the courteous and the right thing for them to do from the point infection control point of view is wearing a mask, “said Wen.
Warning signs remain as states increase vaccine eligibility
While states and vaccine distributors are pushing to inoculate as many adults as possible, the latest projection from the University of Washington is a reminder of what lies ahead for the nation.
At least 600,000 people will have been killed by Covid-19 by July 1, according to the university’s Institute for Health Assessment and Metrics, which means that about 59,000 people will die in the next three months. The IHME says that 10,000 lives could be saved if the use of the mask increases from the current rate of 75% to 95% of the population.
“Most states in the northern half of the country now have increasing transmission, with the most pronounced increases in Michigan. The increases are probably related to the combination of the spread of variant B.1.1.7 and recent increases in mobility,” he said.
With the increase in the supply of vaccines, states are opening the eligibility for more adults to receive the vaccines.
Minnesota, Connecticut, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Florida and California recently announced that adults of almost all ages will receive the green light for vaccination in mid-April.
Six states have already expanded the eligibility of the coronavirus vaccine to anyone aged 16 and over, according to a recent count by CNN, and at least another 26 plan to open it to people aged 16 and over by the end of April.
Vaccines for children are being tested
In the meantime, pharmaceutical companies are beginning to test the effectiveness of vaccinating children, which would be another layer of defense against an outbreak of infections, as school districts expect fully personal learning.
Moderna last week announced its next phase in pediatric vaccine testing, enrolling children in the United States and Canada aged 6 months to 11 years.
Vaccination for pregnant women can also have benefits, as Dr. Wen told CNN on Thursday.
“There is accumulated evidence of the safety and efficacy of vaccines for pregnant women,” she said. “Initially in clinical trials, pregnant and lactating people were not included. But since then, thousands of pregnant women have chosen to get the vaccine.
“There have been no adverse safety signs or safety concerns in the thousands of women who have had the vaccine so far. And now there is growing evidence that they also mount a strong immune response that protects them. In fact, the antibodies produced seem to cross the placental barrier and are also secreted in breast milk and can protect the newborn, “said Wen.
“If I were pregnant now, I would discuss this with my doctor, but I would probably choose to get the vaccine.”