Dr. Anthony Fauci warned Friday that the United States could soon suffer an increase in COVID-19 cases, even though the country has administered more vaccines than any other nation.
The recent plateau in record post-holiday rate cases is actually a sign that Americans should stock up and prepare for another potential boom in infections, Fauci said, citing trends coronavirus data passes in a White House press session.
“Recently, we’ve recently experienced the worst increase,” Fauci said. “The point is that we are starting to reach the plateau. This plateau has between 60,000 and 70,000 cases a day. When you have so much viral activity on a plateau, it almost invariably means you run the risk of another climb.
“Many European countries have seen a 9% increase in cases last week, which we desperately want to avoid,” he added.
In contrast, when coronavirus cases were reduced after the first wave of infections last spring, the number of national daily cases was about a third of what it is today, he said.
“Many of us will remember very, very vividly, in late winter and early spring, that we had a wave dominated by the New York metropolitan area. After the increase, what we came to be was a baseline of about 20,000 cases a day. It’s a very high baseline, relatively speaking, ”he said.
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He warned that even amid optimism about federal plans to vaccinate all Americans before May, it is crucial to continue fighting the virus with masks, social distancing and hand washing.
Meanwhile, White House officials reported that nearly 55 percent of Americans over the age of 65 have received at least one vaccine in the United States.
A total of 82 million people – more than any other country – have been vaccinated in the U.S., according to Andy Slavitt, a senior White House adviser on the COVID-19 response team.