“We have quite an opportunity to make clear what the benefits of vaccinations are. We know that these vaccines are really effective in preventing serious diseases. It significantly reduces your risk in each of these different types of situations, whether it is after going to the restaurant or gym, or to see family and friends. ‘
The increase comes because more states are reporting the spread of infectious variants and which could weaken the immunity of those who had Covid-19.
Because of the complications that variants offer, experts say that mass vaccination is necessary. But according to Wen, the situation is more nuanced than believing that American society is strictly divided between pre-vaccination and anti-vaccination advocates.
“We neglect the large number of people in the middle who need it, who want to get the vaccine, but they may be worried or just do not have time to take time off or get a job,” she said. “We need to make vaccination easy for those individuals and also clearly demonstrate what the benefit of vaccination is, and make the messages clear that vaccines are the way to pre-pandemic life.”
States juggle expanding access to vaccines and ending capacity rules
With an increase in supply, more states have expanded admission to the vaccines.
In New Hampshire, residents 50 and older will be eligible on Monday, and the state plans to expand access to all of its citizens aged 16 and older ‘within a few weeks’, according to New Hampshire Government’s Chris Sununu .
When Sununu was asked to comment on the rising average of the daily new cases of Covid-19, Sununu said: “it is actually about lowering the hospitalizations and the mortality rate, which is constantly declining.”
According to the governor, many people also become lax about wearing masks and social distance. “We are not out of this yet,” Sununu said.
Starting Monday, Louisiana will expand vaccine admissions to a long list of essential workers, including individuals working in higher education, food and grocery stores, manufacturing, transportation, clergy and others. On Tuesday, Maryland will expand access to everyone 60 years and older.
Kentucky will allow access to vaccination for ages 50 and older from Monday and aims to be eligible for all adults by April 12. The state is also joining others who have begun lifting the restrictions by easing and limiting the start of Friday’s bar and restaurants. at 60% capacity.
Massachusetts will attend 12% next week at stadiums, arenas and bars. The capacity limit for public institution is increased to 100 people indoors and 150 outdoors, with indoor events allowed on 10 people.
Border restrictions continue as domestic travel increases
Dr. Wen stressed to CNN on Thursday that with the visible increase in travel and people moving toward pre-pandemic lifestyles without proper safety measures, the CDC needs to improve a message to the general public: vaccination leads to a faster return to safer activities.
“What the CDC really needs to do at this point is to say to non-vaccinated people. Here are the activities that have a low risk, medium risk and high risk. Probably a lot of things will be a high risk for unvaccinated people. people, “Wen said. said.
“Then they have to say to vaccinated individuals: you can do so much more. Nothing is going to pose any risk, but many of these activities that were formally high risk are now low risk,” she said. “I think the type of benefit of vaccination really needs to be illustrated to people.”
CNN’s Maggie Fox, Arman Azad, Naomi Thomas, Kelsie Smith, Gisela Crespo, Rebekah Riess, Chris Boyette, Juliana Battaglia, Kristina Sgueglia, Steve Almasy and Geneva Sands contributed to this report.