(CNN) – For the first time in nearly two months, less than 100,000 Americans are being hospitalized for COVID-19.
On Sunday, the United States reported that there were 95,013 hospitalizations for covid-19 in the country, according to data from the Covid tracking project. And 97,561 patients were hospitalized on Saturday. The last time the number fell below 100,000 was on December 1.
However, the seven-day average of new cases remains about the same as on December 1. Worse, the average daily death rate is more than double what it was then.
January was by far the deadliest month of the pandemic. According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 95,245 people have died from COVID-19 so far this month, more than the total of 77,486 deaths in December.
Right now it is the worst of all possible worlds. It is winter. It’s cold, people are closer together, there are still a critical number of people in the United States who don’t wear masks, who don’t keep physical distance, ” said Dr. Paul Offit, member of the Administration of Medicines and Food (FDA) Vaccine Advisory Committee.
“I think the next six weeks or two months will be difficult. I think we can get another 100,000, 150,000 dead, ”he added.
Offit is not alone in that prediction. According to the Institute for Health Assessment and Metrics at the University of Washington, about 120,000 Americans could die from COVID-19 in the next two months.
That’s why health experts urge all Americans to strive to wear face masks and stay away from others.
And as vaccine manufacturers and officials strive to vaccinate more Americans, they are fighting against the spread of highly contagious strains of coronavirus now found in the United States.
According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 26.1 million cases have been reported in the United States and at least 441,300 deaths have been due to covid-19 since the start of the pandemic.
Strains of coronavirus found in the US
Strain B.1,351, first identified in South Africa
This strain worries scientists because it has a mutation that could make current covid-19 vaccines slightly less effective.
Maryland is the second state to report a case of this variant of Covid-19. That person had not recently traveled internationally, the governor’s office said.
On Thursday, South Carolina reported two cases of B.1.351. Those two people had no known travel history or connection to each other, health officials said.
While current vaccines are believed to protect against known variants, some research has suggested that they may be less effective against the B.1.351 strain in particular.
Fortunately, there is an extra cushion of immunity brought on by vaccination, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
“The good news is that the vaccines as they exist today are still effective against mutants,” Fauci said. “The sobering news … as you get more and more replications, you can get more and more out of mutant evolution, which means you always have to be one step ahead.”
Strain B.1,1.7 first identified in the UK
British scientists say this variant can be up to 70% more transferable than others.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the B.1,1.7 strain has now been found in at least 30 states in the United States.
This spring and summer, Southern California and South Florida will be at higher risk for the B.1,1.7 strain, said Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former FDA Commissioner.
“If you look at where the B.1,1.7 is in the country right now, about half of the business we deliver is in Southern California and Florida,” said Gottlieb. Face The Nation, from CBS on Sundays. “And the cities are the hotspots, San Diego and Miami.”
31 million doses have been administered against the coronavirus
More help is on the way, although it will be at least several more months before most Americans are vaccinated.
While current Moderna and Pfizer / BioNTech vaccines require two doses each, a new single-dose vaccine from Johnson & Johnson could be licensed for emergency use by the end of February.
According to data from the CDC, more than 31 million doses of Moderna or Pfizer / BioNTech have been administered nationwide.
More than 25 million people have received at least one dose, and about 5.6 million Americans have received both doses of their vaccine.
Some states use massive vaccination sites to get as many arm shots as possible as soon as possible.
In Washington state, health officials said more than 10,000 people had been vaccinated at those locations with the help of the National Guard and other partners.
“The goal of mass vaccination sites is to increase statewide access to the vaccine, ensure our plans are fair and protect those most at risk,” said a statement by the Washington State Department of Health.
An argument for postponing second doses
As many people over the age of 65 as possible should get their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, which essentially slows down a few second injections of the vaccine, said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.
Osterholm told the show on Sunday Meet the press, of NBC, that the change in vaccine distribution is needed to respond to a potential viral rise in the next six to 14 weeks caused by the B.1,1.7 strain first identified in the UK.
“We want to give everyone two doses anyway, but I think right now, before this increase, we should give as many first doses as possible to as many people over 65 as possible to reduce the serious illnesses and deaths that occur. It’s going to happen in the coming weeks, ”said Osterholm.
“We know that if we get the first doses in humans, especially those 65 and older, we can really do a lot to reduce the number of serious illnesses and deaths in this next big wave that’s coming,” he said.
While that might delay the second dose for some people, “We’re not going to refuse the second dose,” Osterholm said.
Recipients of the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine should receive their second dose 21 days after the first. Those who receive the Moderna vaccine should receive their second dose 28 days after the first.
But the CDC said Americans shouldn’t be too concerned if the gap between their two doses is a little longer than recommended.
“You should have your second injection as close to the recommended interval of 3 weeks or 1 month as possible. However, there is no maximum interval between the first and second dose for any of the vaccines, “the CDC said.” You should not receive the second dose before the recommended interval. “
The World Health Organization said people can wait up to six weeks between doses. But Pfizer and Moderna said they have no data on how long people can wait between doses and still get good protection.
CDC calls for masks to be worn on public transport
A new order from the CDC, requiring people to wear face masks while driving any type of public transportation, goes into effect Monday evening.
The agency said public transport operators should do everything they can to enforce the mandate, such as only allowing those wearing masks to board and disembark passengers who refuse to comply.
Dr. Martin Cetron, director of the CDC’s global migration and quarantine division, signed the order.
People can take off the mask to eat, drink or take medicine; verify your identity with the police or transport authorities; communicate with people with hearing difficulties; put on an oxygen mask on an airplane; or during a medical emergency, the CDC said.
Children under 2 years of age or people with disabilities who cannot wear a mask are exempt.
Traffic authorities in several major cities and states in the United States, including New York, New Jersey, Washington, San Francisco, Chicago, and Atlanta, told CNN they are already enforcing the regulations.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority told CNN that “facial covering has been required in Metro since May.”
“We welcome any policies that further promote compliance in the subway and in all public areas to stop the spread of the virus, and we welcome the ability of the TSA and other federal authorities to enforce this mandate where necessary,” said a spokesman.
In California, a Bay Area Rapid Transit spokesperson said San Francisco Bay Area public transportation has had a facial coverage mandate since April.
And in Atlanta, a spokesman said the Atlanta Metropolitan Rapid Transit Authority began demanding the use of masks in July.
The CDC order applies to all travelers, including those who have had the coronavirus or received the covid-19 vaccine.
The order remains in effect until further notice.
CNNm’s Naomi Thomas, Maggie Fox, Alta Spells, Sandi Sidhu, Lauren Mascarenhas, Laura Ly, Amanda Watts and Hollie Silverman contributed to this report.