The new variants pose a severe Covid threat in the US and may cause a surge of the virus once again. Health experts recommend keeping the restrictions intact until the situation gets under control to avoid another surge. Meanwhile, some states are reopening despite the high number of coronavirus cases in the US.
According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director, loosening the restrictions at this time is inexplicable. He also mentioned that everyone wants to return to normalcy as soon as possible. However, we can not achieve it if we keep ignoring the guidelines regarding the pandemic.
Recently, the Governor of Alabama announced to life the mask compulsion on 9th April. This major decision sparked a debate in the health community and many experts spoke out against this. Moreover, Mississippi and Texas also announced to ease their restriction soon within the coming days.
The governors announced that they will soon lift the mandatory mask policy and allow businesses in these states to operate as normal. These decisions come along when more transmissible variants of the virus enter the country. According to health experts, these strains are more contagious and a greater threat than the original strain of coronavirus.
One of the new variants is a major Covid threat that traveled from the UK into the US. This variant called B.1.1.7 appeared in 44 states of the US and continues to spread across the country.
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A team of researchers from the Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine conducted a study regarding the transmission ability of this variant. The findings of this study show that a carrier of this variant can infect at least 43 to 90 percent more individuals as compared to older strains of the virus.
This emerging and severe Covid threat led researchers to advise people to continue wearing masks and avoid social gatherings. Moreover, the president of ISDA, Dr. Barbara Alexander said that we should not forget everything that happened over the last year during the pandemic. Therefore, we should not ruin the progress that we made against the virus.
The CDC director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky said that people should do the right thing even if their states allow to ease the restrictions. Individuals can continue wearing masks and maintain social distance on their own despite the guidelines from the states.
More and more states in the US are dropping the mask mandate despite the increasing threat of severe Covid. As for now, 16 states in the US are no longer following this mandate. Meanwhile, the US authorities approved the third vaccine for administration in the country which only requires a single shot.
Health experts encourage people to go for whichever vaccine is available in their vicinity so that maximum people can get their shots.
The new vaccine by Johnson and Johnson can be stored at the normal temperature of the refrigerator. Meanwhile, the other two vaccines require extra cold conditions. Also, these vaccines require two shots for efficacy while the J&J vaccine comes with only one dose.
