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New COVID-19 infections are on the rise in the US and health officials are issuing warnings, even to those who are vaccinated.
Over the last seven days, the US saw an average of 23,346 new COVID-19 cases per day, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University. Those new cases represent a 47.5% increase in new infections since the previous week. The rise in cases isn’t isolated either: 43 states saw an increase in cases. Hospitalizations, and deaths are also rising again. Health officials say that 99% of all COVID-19 deaths are among people who are not vaccinated.
“We can’t have it both ways; we can’t be both unmasked and non-socially distant and unvaccinated. That won’t work,” Dr. Jonathan Reiner, George Washington University medical professor and CNN medical analyst, said Monday (July 12).
A third of new COVID-19 cases came from five states: Florida, Louisiana, Nevada, Arkansas, and Missouri, Reiner said. Based on CDC data, each of these states have less than 48% of their total population vaccinated.
Officials say the Delta variant has become more dominant in recent weeks, many concerned that the fall could see a greater resurgence of infections, especially among those who are not inoculated.
Black Americans, who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic –– both in infection rate, financially, and beyond –– are still lagging in vaccination rates. Little Rock, Arkansas Mayor Frank Scott Jr. told CNN he is working to get his city vaccinated to stem new cases and decrease death in the community.
“It’s serious and we should not have to allow someone to die for us to really believe the research and science. What we continue to do is go by data driven policies and research and all that we do in our administration, and this is just another way to continue to do that because, again, this saves lives,” Scott told the outlet.
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