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The country started adjusting to the new normal in the few weeks since COVID-related mandates were lifted. Americans are beginning to experience a new phase of living with the coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) also rolled out new methods to monitor the virus’ impact on communities prompted by:
[The] widespread availability of vaccines and testing, advances in treatments, and increasing levels of immunity in the population through vaccination or previous infection.
The CDC reminds everyone that it is impossible to prevent all coronavirus infections. The country was reminded of this with the recent spate of new cases, including White House cabinet members, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif), Broadway performers, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Coronavirus outbreaks at two major college campuses resulted in resuming masking requirements.
Health officials believe infections are vastly undercounted because home test results do not always make it into the official database. In addition, many mildly ill people do not bother to test at all, the Los Angeles Times reported.
“For every 100 infections, only seven are recorded in official counts, according to the latest estimate of [Ali Mokdad’s] modeling group.” This is because fewer people are wearing masks. Across the nation, using this safety precaution is at its lowest level since April 2020, explained Mokdad, a professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle.
The professor expects there is a high level of immunity built up in the United States from previous infections and vaccination, which will protect the country from a significant increase in coronavirus cases. So while there will be some infections, he does not believe there will be enough to shut down the country. Mokdad added:
Life has to go on. We have to be vaccinated and boosted. We need to protect the vulnerable, but we have to get used to it.
To protect those too young to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, the CDC suggests everyone eligible should stay up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations. Furthermore, everyone ages two and older should wear a mask indoors in public areas where the coronavirus community level is high, regardless of vaccination status.
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
Los Angeles Times: ‘Get used to it’: Recent outbreaks give a taste of living with the coronavirus; by Carla K. Johnson
The Washington Post: As nations decide to live with the virus, some disease experts warn of surrendering too soon; by Joel Achenbach
CDC: COVID DATA TRACKER WEEKLY REVIEW
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of MTA New York City’s Pixabay Page – Creative Commons License
First Inset Image Courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID Data Tracker. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2022, April 10.
Second Inset Image by Marc A. Hermann Courtesy of Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
