The U.S. may have its own version of a more transmissible coronavirus that could help fuel the already aggressive spread of the virus, the White House coronavirus working group said in its latest report to states this week.
Reports sent by the task force to states dated Jan. 3 warned of the possibility of a “U.S. variant” of Covid-19.
“This fall / winter wave has been almost twice the rate of increase in cases than spring and summer. This acceleration suggests that there may be a U.S. variant that has evolved here, in addition to the variant of the UK which is already spreading to our communities and which can be 50% more broadcastable, ”CNN said.
The working group called for “aggressive mitigation … to match a much more aggressive virus.”
This mitigation should include the use of facial masks, depending on the working group, and the immediate vaccination of as many people as possible.
“Without a uniform implementation of effective (two- or three-layer, well-fitting masking) and strict social distancing, epidemics could quickly worsen as these variants spread and become predominant.”
The United States has been tracking cases of a variant first identified in the United Kingdom that appears to be easier to transmit.
The pandemic continues to rage as the nation has focused its attention on the U.S. Capitol insurgency and certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, and the task force has continued to warn states of “community outreach. aggressive “after the holidays.
“The United States remains on a plateau of 140-150,000 confirmed and suspected COVID admissions per week and 120-125,000 patients admitted in total. Significant continued deterioration, from California across the Sunbelt to the southeast, mid-Atlantic and northeast, despite low test rates over the holidays, suggests an aggressive spread from the community, “he said. the working group.
Working group reports also called for the establishment of outpatient monoclonal antibody treatment infusion sites “immediately available to save lives.”
And while the nation struggles to quickly immunize Americans, reports said vaccines “must be put to arms now.”
“Do not delay the rapid vaccination of those over 65 and vulnerable to serious diseases; the creation of high-performance vaccination sites with the use of EMT staff is recommended to control possible anaphylaxis and make full use of nursing students. There are no vaccines in freezers, but they should now be put in arms; active and aggressive vaccination in the face of this wave would save lives, ”the reports said.
This week, California is the state with the most new cases per 100,000 population, followed by Arizona, Kansas, Tennessee, Rhode Island, Utah, Arkansas, West Virginia, Georgia and Massachusetts in the top ten.
The positivity of the test, an indication of the increase in cases to come, is highest in Oklahoma, followed by Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama.
Arkansas has the most hospital admissions for every 100 hospital beds, followed by Arizona, Maryland, Oklahoma, Georgia, Kentucky, California, the District of Columbia, South Carolina and New Mexico.
And Kansas is the one that records the deaths of more than 100,000 people, followed by Wyoming, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Arkansas, Indiana, Mississippi, Arizona, Tennessee and Rhode Island.