Many public health experts are optimistic that the fourth wave of coronavirus that the United States has entered will not be as bad as the other three – but they emphasize that it will still be important to take precautions.
Why does it matter: A more communicable and deadly variant of the virus – the one that originated in the UK – is becoming increasingly prevalent across the country, but the extraordinary US vaccination effort may mitigate the worst effects of this most recent wave of cases.
Driving the news: The US reported over the weekend that more than 4 million doses was administered in one day for the first time.
- More than 3 million vaccines were administered every day, on average, in the last week, by Bloomberg.
- Three-quarters of Americans 65 and older received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the CDC.
What they are saying: “It’s kind of a race between the potential for a sudden increase and our ability to vaccinate as many people as possible,” NIAID director Anthony Fauci told NPR’s Morning Edition. on Friday. “And, hopefully, if you want to make this a metaphorical race, the vaccine will win this one.”
- “I think there is enough immunity in the population that you don’t see a real fourth wave of infection,” said former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb yesterday on CBS’s “Face the Nation” program. “What we are seeing are pockets of infection across the country. “
- “Variant B.1.1.7 is almost a new virus. It is acting differently from everything we’ve seen before in terms of transmissibility and in terms of affecting young people. The good news is that all vaccines seem to work so well against it, “Peter Hotez of Baylor College of Medicine told CNN.
Yes but: Experts warn that a victory over the variants depends on Americans maintaining precautions, such as wearing a mask and social detachment, while the vaccination effort continues.
- The reversal of mitigation measures in some states is working on increasing the variant that originated in the UK to cause the recent increase in cases, said Fauci. “The only thing we don’t want is to retreat prematurely.”
- And at some critical points, like Michigan, hospitalizations are on the rise – evidence that not all people vulnerable to serious infections have yet been vaccinated as the virus gains strength.
Some experts are totally pessimistic. “In terms of the United States, we are just at the beginning of this wave,” Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told NBC’s “Meet the Press” program.
In short: “We withdraw prematurely from some mitigation, such as masks. We are close to a tipping point for the vaccine, but we are not there yet, ” Gottlieb tweeted.
- “Variations and spikes probably delayed the return to normal, but they did not exclude that opportunity. Better days are yet to come.”