The US runs a very real risk of losing all of its recent gains in the fight against the virus, as many contagious variants benefit from the fact that Americans are getting lax with security measures.
There are already worrying signs. While U.S. Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations have been declining for several weeks, they are still alarmingly high. And the downward trend now seems to have stopped. The latest average of seven days for new cases shows an increase of just over 2% compared to the previous week, said dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said yesterday. A similar increase has been reported in the most recent average of seven days to deaths, she added.
“Please hear me clearly,” Walensky said. “At this level of cases with variants spreading, we can completely lose the hard-earned ground we have acquired. These variants are a real threat to our people and our progress.”
“Some of it seems to be due to the loosening of public health measures, the constant proliferation of variants and people abandoning their hats,” Tedros said. “Although vaccines continue to roll out, we call on all governments and individuals to remember that vaccines will not keep you safe.”
YOU ASKED. OUR ANSWER
V: Q: Which Covid-19 vaccine should I get?
A: There are now three Covid-19 vaccines that can be used in the US, and many people are wondering which one they should get.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT TODAY
Vaccinations reduce the risk of hospitalization in more than 80s, real data shows
A single dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine reduces the risk of hospitalization from Covid-19 by more than 80% in people over 80, new data from Public Health England shows.
The effect was seen three to four weeks after vaccination. It has also been shown that people older than 70 to 61% have protection against symptomatic diseases of the Pfizer-BioNTech shot and up to 73% of the Oxford-Astra-Zeneca vaccine.
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UK hunts for person infected with Covid-19 variant
ON OUR RADAR
- A panel of WHO experts strongly discouraged the use of hydroxychloroquine to prevent Covid-19 after reviewing all existing studies on the subject.
- A bunch of Covid-19 vaccines had to be rescued by boat after heavy rains threatened the power supply at a health facility in Kentucky.
- Former US President Donald Trump and former first lady Melania Trump received a vaccine for Covid-19 in the White House in January, a Trump adviser told CNN.
- A trader from a dealer Joe says he was fired after writing directly to the chain’s CEO asking for stronger Covid-19 security protocols in his store.
- The first consignment of Covid-19 vaccines sent to Latin America by the COVAX program landed in Colombia yesterday.
- The European Commission has begun laying the foundations for a vaccine passport with which European Union citizens can travel this summer.
- China plans to vaccinate more than half a billion people by the end of June, respiratory disease expert Zhong Nanshan has revealed.
- A doctor’s trial was delayed after he appeared for a virtual court hearing while undergoing surgery at the same time.
BO-WENK
While many Americans stay home during the pandemic for their own safety, the home can be the most dangerous place for victims of domestic violence. The usual places where victims have escaped in the past are not always available.
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“If you’m taken an inch away from all your endeavors and the Games may be canceled altogether, it’s heartbreaking. – Sandi Morris, Olympic silver medalist in 2016