US Coronavirus: Covid-19 cases have been flattened. Here’s why that can predict a new wave, expert says

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“On the one hand, we get vaccines in record time, but on the other, we have these variants. We also know that there were spikes after the spring break and after the break before that. So what happens now is really up to us,” emergency physician Dr. Leana Wen told CNN on Sunday.

Data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that more than 4,800 cases of coronavirus variants first spotted in the UK, South Africa and Brazil have been reported in the US. The actual number of cases is likely higher – this number represents only cases detected using genomic sequencing, the agency said.

“The best way to avoid any threat from variants is to do two things,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci on Sunday against CNN. “Get as many people vaccinated as soon as possible and continue with public health measures until we get this broad umbrella of protection over the society that the infection rate is very low.”
That means the US should not ease restrictions before daily Covid-19 case numbers drop below 10,000 and “perhaps significantly less than that,” Fauci said earlier.
But a growing list of governors recently announced relaxed restrictions. And the infection rate in the US is anything but low, as variants are circulating. On average, more than 53,000 cases of Covid-19 and more than 1,350 deaths were reported daily for the past week.

The decline in the number of cases reported by officials earlier this year now appears to have leveled off, with experts concerned.

“Based on our previous experiences in this country and in other countries, if you see a plateau, it predicts another rise,” said infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist Dr. Celine Gounder on Sunday to CNN. “And we have these new variants that may also fuel a stronger wave.”

People gather in Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida on March 14, 2021.

Meanwhile, travel is reaching pandemic records

Spring break – which has kicked off nationwide – could be a perfect storm for variants to spread.
100 arrested when spring break crowds hit Miami Beach, despite the pandemic

In Miami Beach, Mayor Dan Gelber said over the weekend that local officials saw “too many spring break activities.”

“We have a problem with too many people coming here,” said the mayor. “We have a problem with too many people coming here to let go.”

Meanwhile, air travel across the country is hitting pandemic records.

On Friday, more than 1.3 million people were screened at airports – the highest number since March 15, 2020, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

More than 1.2 million people were screened on Saturday, according to TSA spokesman Lisa Farbstein. That’s about double the number of people screened on Feb. 9, Farbstein said a tweet.

“It was the 8th day this month that the processing capacity exceeded (one million). If you plan to travel, please wear a mask,” added Farbstein.

You asked, we answered: your top questions about Covid-19 and vaccines

Good news for vaccines

While many Americans are pushing for a return to the norm with warmer weather on the horizon, US officials are working to get as many shots in the arms as possible as soon as possible.

To date, more than 69.7 million people have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. More than 37.4 million are fully vaccinated – about 11.3% of the US population.

On Sunday, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and current Pfizer board member, offered more encouraging news.

“All evidence from all vaccines now points to these vaccines reducing asymptomatic infection and reducing transmission,” he told CBS.

“If so, the vaccine creates what we call ‘dead-end hosts’ – a lot of dead-end hosts – meaning humans can no longer transmit the infection,” added Gottlieb.

Fauci says the Covid guidelines will be `` much more liberal '' by July 4 if US cases fall
Last week, the CDC released its first set of guidelines for fully vaccinated people – the guidelines that the agency and other officials say will evolve as more Americans are vaccinated and more data becomes available.

“What we saw was the first episode of what you can do when you’re vaccinated … what you can do at home, with the vaccinated people together or vaccinated people with an unvaccinated person,” Fauci told CNN on Sunday. .

“You’re going to see similar types of guidelines for the American public very soon, regarding travel, the workplace, all kinds of different things,” he added. “You will soon see guidelines like this coming out.”

Political division over vaccinations

Health experts estimate that somewhere between 70% and 85% of the U.S. population needs to be vaccinated for the country to achieve herd immunity to Covid-19. But major challenges still remain, said CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky last week, including “limited vaccine supply, continued hesitation with vaccines, and growing myth and misinformation regarding Covid-19 vaccines.”

Another challenge: a political rift between Americans who want to take a chance.

A CNN poll conducted by SSRS released Thursday shows that although 92% of Democrats say they have received or plan to have a dose of the vaccine, it drops to 50% among Republicans .

It’s a find by Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, called “disturbing.”

Biden orders states to give all adults vaccinations by May 1

In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp said in a press conference late last week that the state is seeing vaccine hesitancy among white Republicans in several communities.

Another poll, by NPR / PBS NewsHour / Marist, found that nearly half – 47% – of the people who supported President Donald Trump in the 2020 election said they wouldn’t get a Covid-19 vaccine if it was for them. would become available, while only about 10% of the people who supported President Joe Biden said they would not receive a vaccine.

Fauci said on Fox News Sunday that he thought Trump told Republicans to get vaccinated would “make a difference in the world.”

“He’s a very popular person among Republicans. If he came out and said, ‘Get vaccinated, it’s really important to your health, the health of your family and the health of the country,’ it seems absolutely inevitable. that the majority of people who are his closest followers would listen to him, ”Fauci said.

CNN’s Michael Nedelman, Anjali Huynh, Hollie Silverman and Naomi Thomas contributed to this report.

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