“There is light at the end of this tunnel, but the recent increase in cases is a reminder that we are still in the tunnel,” the Democratic governor said, urging people to continue to take precautions and get the vaccine get – which is now available. to anyone 16 and older in her condition. ‘This is the nature of this virus. The second time we let our guard come, it came roaring. ‘
Nationally, the number of cases and hospitalizations increased last week compared to the previous seven-day period, even though the deaths. Michigan hospitals are again considering canceling elective surgeries while reviewing their training plans – and the state’s predicament points to the difficult balance facing the Biden government as it seeks to project optimism while maintaining complacency over the virus move.
The emphasis on progress has inevitably created a false sense of security in some corners at a time when the virus remains unpredictable and increasingly contagious due to new variants.
Covid fatigue and an infectious variant
While many Americans are tired of pandemic restrictions and are convinced that the worst is behind them, some governors have accelerated the pace of reopening in their states, and they clearly feel the heat of their impending re-election campaigns.
“To be very clear, these are not commands, assignments or requirements,” Whitmer said of her career in stopping indoor dining, high school classes and youth sports. ‘A year later we all know who’s working, and it should be a team effort. ‘
Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, noted that Michigan’s boom is taking place despite advances in vaccination. “Vaccination of vaccines has been a very important tool in trying to reduce these cases. But as you have seen from Michigan and Minnesota – although they have very high vaccination rates compared to the rest of the country – you can still see how serious the problem, “Osterholm said on CNN’s’ New Day ‘on Thursday.’ do not see. “
Although not everyone shares the perspective, the uncertainty has put the White House in a bad position, which is reflected in comments by dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, during the White House Covid-19 Response Team briefing.
“On the one hand, we have so much reason for optimism and hope, and more Americans are being vaccinated and protected against Covid-19,” Walensky said. “On the other hand, cases and visits to emergencies are ongoing, and as I have emphasized throughout the week, we are seeing this increase in younger adults, most of whom have not yet been vaccinated.”
She noted that officials in Michigan and Minnesota in particular have been watching increasing reports of cases of juvenile delinquency: “I want to be clear, as the cases in the community increase, we expect the cases identified in schools to increase as well,” she said. Walensky said. .
As the administration is keen to keep children in school, she stressed that the cases are not necessarily related to the transfer of the school, which she says can be avoided if schools follow all the safety protocols set out by the CDC. However, the risks to students are one of the reasons why the CDC has allocated $ 10 billion from the US rescue plan to support tests in schools across the country.
“If we can quickly identify new cases among students, it will help us slow down the spread of Covid-19 while at the same time working to expand equitable access to vaccines,” she said.
To try to control the spread in Michigan, Whitmer urged the Biden government to send more doses of vaccines to her state, calling for a “vaccine vaccination program” to help focal points.
So far, the Biden government has refused a decision defended by White House coordinator Covid-19 on Friday, even though he stresses that the administration is sending more resources – including offers of more staff, greater testing capacity and more therapy and treatments. to help patients – to states struggling with an increase in cases. A senior government official told CNN’s Pamela Brown on Saturday that an additional 160 vaccines from the Federal Emergency Management Agency were on their way to Michigan to assist the state in administering the doses.
“There are tens of thousands of millions of people in the country and provinces who have not yet been vaccinated,” Zients said Friday. “The fair and equitable way of distributing the vaccine is based on the adult population by state, tribe and territory. That’s how it was done, and we will continue to do it.”
“The virus is unpredictable. We do not know where the next increase could occur in cases,” he added, noting that the US is not yet halfway through its vaccination program. “So this is not the time to change the rate of vaccination.”
But as the situation in Michigan worsens – and other states with similar thrusts – it could become a difficult position for the Biden government to maintain. Whitmer may be the first Democratic governor to publicly put the administration under pressure for a vaccination program, but she is unlikely to be the last.