The US has crossed a tragic milestone because the country has lost more than half a million lives due to the new coronavirus, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
The grim milestone comes just over a month after the country surpassed 400,000 virus-related deaths in January, breaking 300,000 less than a month earlier. President Biden is expected to hold a candlelight vigil on Monday night with a moment of silence in memory of the victims.
“This amount of devastation is a plague of our own existence,” said Dr. Greg Poland, an expert in infectious diseases at the Mayo Clinic, told Fox News. “Americans could and should prevent this by taking scientific recommendations seriously.”
New daily deaths, cases and hospitalizations are declining, and although experts say it is encouraging, the presence of more transmissible variants and so-called ‘pandemic fatigue’ with mitigating mitigation measures and fewer people opting for vaccinations, significantly prolongs spring Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said earlier.
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‘While [a decline in cases] is certainly hopeful news, the unfortunate milestone of 500,000 deaths should give us a break, “Dr. Steven Gordon, chairman of Infectious Diseases at Cleveland Clinic, wrote in part to Fox News. Behind every death is a beloved family member, friend or colleague. ‘
Gordon insists on wearing masks, taking social distances, washing hands frequently and avoiding gatherings until widespread vaccination leads to herd immunity. Meanwhile, dr. Anthony Fauci recently projected that it is possible that Americans will still have to wear face masks by 2022, even if the country may approach a certain ‘degree of normality’.
The news comes amid a feverish vaccination effort, limited by limited supply, aimed at reducing serious illnesses and deaths in vulnerable populations. More than 18 million Americans (more than 5%) received two doses of vaccine, developed by Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, although a third candidate from Johnson & Johnson is pending FDA authorization. An independent panel of experts advising the FDA will meet Friday to discuss the candidate’s approval.
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The bleak milestone also comes because preliminary studies weigh the impact of rapidly spreading variants on vaccine efficacy, with research suggesting that the levels of Pfizer’s vaccine-induced antibodies against a strain first detected in South Africa, with two thirds was reduced, and Moderna reported that sixfold decrease in neutralization force. The companies said it was unclear what protection the vaccines offered against the variant, although they had previously sworn the confidence that the shots would remain effective. Drug manufacturers are now exploring the idea of varying booster shots in an effort to provide greater protection against the strains.
However, the vaccination of the American people will not overcome the pandemic; experts believe that vaccination around the world will eventually prevent the appearance of variants, and put an end to a pathogen that is accused of at least 2.5 million deaths worldwide.