The delta variant is behind 83% of new COVID-19 cases in the United States. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reported the finding to Congress on July 20. “This is a dramatic increase, up from 50% the week of July 3,” Walensky told CNN.
According to health experts, the delta is the most transmissible variant of all known variants of the coronavirus . In the words of Andy Slavitt of the Covid response team at the White House for CNN: “We should think of the delta variant as the 2020 version of COVID-19 on steroids. It is twice as contagious. ” Regarding vaccination, the expert said the following: “Fortunately, unlike last year, we have a tool that stops the delta variant: it is called a vaccine .”
Recent studies of the effectiveness of the delta variant vaccine found a 93% prevention rate against more serious diseases that lead to hospitalization . Health experts like US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy continue to advocate for surveillance against the virus. “We shouldn’t let our guard down until cases not only drop, they stay low, and right now cases are increasing,” he told CNN. “Cases, hospitalizations and mortality rates are increasing.”
Surgeon General Murthy urged Americans to “consider getting vaccinated to protect the children in your community. They depend on us ”. Precisely the infections in children have doubled since the end of June, according to CNN report.
Regarding vaccination against COVID-19, the percentage of vaccinated recorded by the CDC is well below what, according to health experts, would be needed to stop the spread of the virus. Only 48.7% of the total US population has the full pattern compared to the 70-85% required to stop infections .
The cases are increasing and there are states with worrying situations. According to CDC data, approximately 22% of the US population, or nearly 73 million people, lives in a county that is considered to have “high” transmission of COVID-19. Despite the situation, a poll released last Tuesday by Axios-Ipsos revealed that the majority of unvaccinated Americans are likely not going to be vaccinated .
