Director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Rochelle WalenskyRochelle Walensky: New cases of COVID-19 among residents in nursing homes fell by 80% in one month. Poll: Most say teachers should be vaccinated before schools reopen. warned on Friday that recent falls in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths “could be paralyzed”, and described the trends as a “very worrying change”.
CDC data show that the number of new cases has dropped dramatically in recent weeks, from a peak of about 250,000 a day in mid-January to about 60,000 a day.
But now, after weeks of decline, the number of new cases has begun to decline in recent days and is still at a very high level, with about 66,000 new cases a day.
“The latest data suggests that these falls could be stagnating, and potentially be reduced by a very high number,” Walensky said during a White House briefing. “From CDC we consider this a very worrying change of trajectory.”
Several states have been easing restrictions in areas such as restaurant capacity and in some cases masking mandates. Walensky urged states not to lift restrictions, without naming any in particular.
“Things are tenuous,” he said. “Now is not the time to relax the restrictions.”
The most infectious variants, in particular one first identified in the UK, run the risk of a further rise.
“We may now see the initial effects of these variants on the most recent data,” Walensky said.
He also noted new research on additional variants in New York and California that “also seem to spread more easily” and that “favor the situation.”
In general, officials said that with vaccines on the rise, now is not the time to drop restrictions and take precautions such as wearing a mask and distancing yourself from others, as vaccines could be much more available in the US. spring, which would help suppress the pandemic.
“Together we have the ability to prevent another rise of our nation,” Walensky said.