- Michael Osterholm, a leading disease expert, said the US is the “eye of the hurricane”.
- New daily affairs declined from their peak earlier this year, but there is still cause for concern.
- Several states have scaled down restrictions, but experts warn that such action is premature.
- Visit the Insider Business Department for more stories.
Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Research and Infectious Disease Research and Policy, warned Sunday about the current state of the pandemic in the U.S., despite a continuing decline in new cases.
“We are currently in the eye of the hurricane,” he said during an appearance on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.” ‘It seems to be going very well – you even see a blue sky. We had a terrible year. ‘
According to data analyzed by Johns Hopkins University, the number of new daily cases of COVID-19 diagnosed each day dropped to less than 70,000 new cases each day – down from a peak earlier this year where new daily cases 200 000.
Vaccinations were also accelerated as supply increased following the emergency release of the single-shot Johnson & Johson vaccine in late February. Biden said on March 6, all adult Americans could be vaccinated by mid-May.
But Osterholm said there was cause for concern about the spread of the more contagious B.1.1.7 variant of the virus, which was first discovered in the UK and has since wreaked havoc “in Europe.
—With the Press (@MeetThePress) 7 March 2021
About a month ago, 1 to 4% of COVID-19 cases diagnosed in the U.S. were of the B.1.1.7 variant, Osterholm said. But today, about 30 to 40% of new cases were the variant. When cases of B.1.1.7 reached about 50% of cases in Europe, the virus began to “rise”, he added, warning of a possible increase in the US.
“Many of these countries have been in the lock for two months now, just to try to control this virus,” Osterholm said of European countries hard hit by the variant.
The warnings come amid relaxed social health measures that health officials have warned are premature. States in the US have again begun to reduce measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. Several states, including Texas, Mississippi, Iowa, Montana and North Dakota, have revoked mask mandates.
Experts have also warned that holidaymakers could spread the highly contagious variant in the coming weeks in the coming weeks, even if disease control and prevention centers are still discouraged.