While vaccine availability is steadily increasing across the country, an ongoing surge in cases has doctors fearing a fourth wave of the virus is approaching.
According to CBS News, cases have been rising in 27 states nationwide, with new transmissions rising by double digits compared to the week before. Doctors have been troubled by the surge in cases affecting children age 10-19. In Michigan, pediatric cases are surging more than any other group.
“We’re seeing the increase in transmission in young kids, primarily in the upper Midwest, in the Northeast right now. But that’s just a matter of time before we see it go throughout the entire United States,” Dr. Michael Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, told CBS News “Unfortunately, we are going to see a rise in pediatric hospitalizations and serious illness.”
The surge comes as multiple states (my home state of Arizona included) have rolled back mask mandates and capacity restrictions for businesses. Doctors are encouraging people to stay vigilant; wearing your mask in public places and getting the vaccine as soon as you are able to.
“We are almost at the finish line, but we’re not there,” Osterholm told CBS News.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, head of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, released a video earlier this week sharing her fear of the “impending doom” of yet another COVID surge and urged people to continue wearing masks despite whatever their local government chooses to do. Walensky also had a meeting with the governors of multiple states asking them to enforce mask mandates.
“I encouraged all governors to include a mask mandate in their states. And to the extent that states were not having a mask mandate ... I would ask citizens to wear masks, regardless of the mandate,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky told CBS News.
Luckily, we’re all adults here, and we don’t need the government to tell us how to best practice self-preservation. While there is a light at the end of the tunnel, we have to remain vigilant so that we can smoke weed and watch movies with our friends sooner rather than later. I mean, I don’t know about y’all, but that’s what I’m planning to do after I get my second shot.
So as always, mask up, wash your hands and get the vaccine as soon as you can.