White House urges Americans to get vaccinated so everyone can plunge into a “summer of joy, celebration, and increasing freedom from the virus.”
On Thursday, the Covid Response Team made announcements about the progress the Biden administration is making with battling the virus.
So far, 175 million Americans have received at least one dose of the covid vaccine. This includes “87% of seniors, those 65 and over, 74% of adults 40 and over,” stated Jeff Zients.
In 14 states and D.C., at least 70% of adults have received at least one shot. American cases and deaths are down more than 90% since the President took office on January 20.
Yesterday, the CDC reported 12,322 new cases of COVID-19. The seven-day average is 12,190 cases per day, a 16% decrease from the prior seven-day average. This “Is the lowest seven-day average since March 27, 2020,” stated Dr. Lewinsky.
The seven-day average of daily deaths has also declined to 286 per day. This is the first time that average daily deaths have been below 300 since March 27, 2020. “These numbers make it clear, getting vaccinated gets us back to normal. It’s the best way we have to defeat this virus and to get everyone back to gathering together safely at weddings, sports events, and travel,” said Lewinsky
Zients ensured Americans that, “Instead of heading into a summer like last summer of isolation, uncertainty, and loss, we’re headed into a summer of joy, celebration, and increasing freedom from the virus.”
Last week, the President announced that the United States would purchase a half-billion doses of Pfizer vaccines and donate them to nearly 100 low-income countries worldwide. On Tuesday, doses landed in Mexico, and today, doses will land in Canada. “We’ll allocate all the initial 80 million doses in the coming days with shipments going out as soon as countries are ready to receive the doses,” stated Zients.
Today the Biden administration announced their investment of $3.2 billion from the American Rescue Plan as part of the COVID-19 antiviral development strategy. “It’s a whole government effort aimed at developing the next generation of COVID-19 treatments, as well as preparing us for future frets,” stated Dr. Fauci.
The program is called the antiviral program foot pandemics, which aims to catalyze new medicines to combat COVID-19 and prepare for other pandemic threats.
In the wake of recent cases of myocarditis and pericarditis presenting themselves in individuals after receiving the vaccine, Dr. Lewisnky announced that the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACRP) would review data on reports of inflammation of the heart or surrounding tissue on Friday.
“These cases are rare, and the vast majority have fully resolved with rest and supportive care,” expressed Lewinsky.
For all the progress the administration is making, there are still many communities at risk because of low vaccination levels. Zients announced that communities with the highest vaccination rates have lower rates of new cases and hospitalizations, and communities with the lowest vaccination rates have higher new cases and hospitalizations.
”As the President says, we do not want our country that is already too divided become divided in a new way between places where people live free from fear of COVID-19 in areas that remain at risk,” said Zients.
In the wake of the new Delta variant threat, health officials urge Americans now more than ever to get vaccinated. “If you’re fully vaccinated, you’re protected. But if you’re unvaccinated, you’re at risk of getting seriously ill or spreading the disease to others. This is why we were pushing so hard to get more Americans vaccinated.”
Dr. Murthy ensured that the administrations’ public education on the vaccine is continuing. “We focused our broader efforts on three key groups, in particular, parents, youth, and clinicians. We’ve held town halls and press calls with parents, and publications and blogs focused on parenting,” said Murthy.
As many parents are hesitant to vaccinate their children, Lewinsky reminded Americans, “I’m the mother of three myself. I understand that parents want to make sure their children are safe; we don’t want our children to be sick from anything particularly a preventable illness.”
COVID-19 has resulted in more than 320 deaths in children under 18 in the United States during this pandemic. Hospitalization rates among children who got COVID-19 were two and a half to three times higher than during a typical influenza season.
Everyone in the United States ages 12 and older is eligible to get vaccinated. Vaccines are free and available at a location near you.
In the ongoing battle to vaccinate the country, Dr. Lewinsky reminds Americans that “The COVID-19 vaccine saves lives.”
