Story at a glance
- Walensky said Friday given COVID-19 vaccination disparities across the country, “this is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated.”
- “The good news is if you are fully vaccinated you are protected against severe COVID-19, hospitalization and death, and are even protected against the known variants, including the delta variant, circulating in this country,” Walensky said.
- “If you are not vaccinated, you remain at risk,” she added.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said Friday given COVID-19 vaccination disparities across the country, “this is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated.
“We are seeing outbreaks of cases in parts of the country that have low vaccination coverage because unvaccinated people are at risk,” Walensky said at a White House coronavirus task force briefing. “Communities that are fully vaccinated are generally faring well.”
Nearly 56 percent of the total population have received at least one vaccine dose, while slightly more than 48 percent have been fully vaccinated. Yet a smattering of states remain well below the national average, which has led to an uptick in cases.
The U.S. reported more than 28,000 new cases in the past day. Additionally, the 14-day average of daily deaths has increased by 9 percent, while new hospitalizations rose by 26 percent.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CORONAVIRUS RIGHT NOW
TOP HEALTH EXPERT SAYS DELTA VARIANT WILL SURGE IN US FOR MONTHS
NEW ONE-DOSE COVID-19 VACCINE THAT CAN BE INHALED TESTED IN ANIMALS
NEW JOHNS HOPKINS MAP SHOWS COVID-19 CASES RISING ACROSS AMERICA
WHO SAYS ‘CATASTROPHIC WAVES’ OF NEW DELTA VARIANT CASES ARE DRIVEN BY GREED
FAUCI SAYS VACCINES SHOULD BE MANDATED LOCALLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY
THE DELTA VARIANT IS SPIKING IN THESE FOUR US STATES
“The good news is if you are fully vaccinated you are protected against severe COVID-19, hospitalization and death, and are even protected against the known variants, including the delta variant, circulating in this country,” Walensky said.
“If you are not vaccinated, you remain at risk,” she added.
Our country is in a historic fight against the Coronavirus. Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.
White House COVID-19 task force coordinator Jeff Zients said that four states have accounted for more than 40 percent of all new cases in the U.S. over the last week — 1 in 5 were reported in Florida. Zients added that nearly all new cases and deaths are occurring among the unvaccinated.
“We will likely continue to experience an increase in COVID-19 cases in the weeks ahead, with these cases concentrated in communities with lower vaccination rates,” Zients said.
“Each COVID-19 death is tragic, and those happening now are even more tragic because they are preventable,” he concluded.
READ MORE STORIES FROM CHANGING AMERICA
THE DELTA VARIANT IS SPIKING IN THESE FOUR US STATES
TOP HEALTH EXPERT SAYS VACCINATED PEOPLE ARE SPREADING DELTA VARIANT
RESEARCHERS PINPOINT POSSIBLE SIGN YOU HAVE COVID-19 AFTER BEING VACCINATED
WHO SAYS VACCINATED PEOPLE STILL NEED MASKS BECAUSE OF HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS DELTA VARIANT
FORMER FDA COMMISSIONER EXPLAINS WHY US WILL ALWAYS HAVE NEW COVID-19 CASES FROM NOW ON
changing america copyright.
