When Will Delta Peak? Variant Now Makes Up 93% Of US Cases
Experts project that the current covid surge could peak later this month. But that depends in large part on vaccinations — as does protection against any future variants.
ABC News:
Delta Variant Now 93% Of All Sequenced Cases In US
The United States is facing a COVID-19 surge this summer as the more contagious delta variant spreads. More than 614,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 and over 4.2 million people have died worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. (Shapiro and Pereira, 8/5)
The Hill:
Delta's Peak Is Difficult To Project, But Could Come This Month
The COVID-19 delta variant surging through the United States could peak later this month, but experts say projections are difficult and much will depend on an unpredictable factor: human behavior. The U.S. is expected to endure a rough next few weeks no matter what. The seven-day average for COVID-19 has risen in recent weeks to 85,866 cases per day as of Monday, the highest point since Valentine’s Day, according to data from The New York Times. (Coleman, 8/4)
The Atlantic:
What Does The Future Of Delta Look Like?
When the U.K. dropped all coronavirus restrictions on “Freedom Day,” July 19, critics called the move a “dangerous and unethical experiment.” Harsher critics called it “epidemiologically stupid.” At the time, cases in the country were still rising amid a Delta-fueled spike. Then, to nearly everyone’s surprise, COVID-19 cases started falling. This suggests that Delta hit a natural peak in the U.K. by mid-July—not because of Freedom Day, the effects of which are only just starting to show up in the data, but through some other mechanism. (Zhang, 8/4)
The Washington Post:
Should You Cancel Travel Plans Because Of Delta Variant? What To Ask Yourself.
For a blissful few weeks this spring, a summer of semi-normal travel seemed not just possible, but almost certain. Flights were booked, hotel reservations were made and vacation time was requested as those with wanderlust or pent-up desire to see loved ones organized their long-awaited excursions. But the hyper-transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus has now forced some would-be travelers to cancel trips and others to consider whether it’s safe to follow through with their plans. (Iati, 8/4)
Philadelphia Inquirer:
Delta-Plus And Lambda Variants Don’t Yet Warrant Panic For Vaccinated People, Philly Experts Say
While the United States scrambles to respond to growing COVID-19 cases fueled by the delta variant, a handful of new variants are continuing to appear, such as B.1.617.2.1 or AY.1 — dubbed “delta-plus.” As its moniker suggests, delta-plus is reported to be a souped-up version of the highly prevalent and likely more transmissible delta variant. On Tuesday, South Korean public health officials reported two cases of this new variant, including at least one person who was vaccinated, according to Reuters. This extends the list of more than 200 previously reported cases in the United States, Canada, and multiple European and Asian nations. The World Health Organization considers it to be a variant of concern. (Nathan, 8/5)
In related news —
Axios:
Fauci Fears A COVID Variant Worse Than Delta Could Be Coming
If America's current COVID-19 surge continues unabated into the fall and winter, the country will likely face an even more deadly strain of the virus that could evade the current coronavirus vaccines, NIAID director Anthony Fauci told McClatchy Wednesday. Fauci's comments underscore the importance of acting quickly to vaccinate the tens of millions of Americans who have not been inoculated against the virus. (Saric, 8/4)
CNN:
If We Do Not All Get Vaccinated, The Next Covid-19 Variant Is Just Around The Corner, Expert Says
Efforts to get more Americans vaccinated against Covid-19 are growing more urgent as an expert warns that if vaccination rates don't increase, the dangerous Delta variant could continue to evolve. "The next variant is just around the corner, if we do not all get vaccinated," Adm. Brett Giroir, the former coronavirus testing czar under Pres. Trump, told CNN's Chris Cuomo. "I just beg the American people to understand that to defeat this virus, we have to get everybody's level of immunity up, and that's just the way it is," he added. (Holcombe, 8/5)
Fox News:
Pfizer, J&J React To COVID-19 Breakthrough Infections
Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson remain confident in their respective COVID-19 vaccines’ ability to prevent severe illness, hospitalization and death amid the spread of the highly transmissible delta variant, the companies told Fox News. Following recent outbreaks in Massachusetts, in which nearly three-quarters of some 469 COVID-19 cases occurred in fully vaccinated individuals, federal officials involved with the country’s COVID-19 response and some vaccine drugmakers are emphasizing that the shots remain protective against serious outcomes. (Rivas, 8/4)
