US President Joe Biden and a top health official on Monday warned that too many Americans are declaring victory over COVID-19 too quickly, appealing for people to wear masks and for other restrictions to be maintained or restored to stave off a “fourth surge.”
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said that she had a feeling of “impending doom” if people keep easing off.
The double dose of warnings came even as Biden laid out hopeful new steps to expand vaccinations, with all adults to become eligible over the next five weeks.
Biden announced plans to expand the number of retail pharmacies that are administering vaccines, but the optimism was tempered by stark warnings about the potential for another wave of cases.
“This is deadly serious,” Biden said, urging governors to reinstate restrictions that some states have been easing.
Hours earlier, Walensky grew emotional as she reflected on her experience treating COVID-19 patients who are alone at the end of their lives.
“We have so much to look forward to, so much promise and potential of where we are, and so much reason for hope, but right now, I’m scared,” she said. “I’m going to lose the script, and I’m going to reflect on the recurring feeling I have of impending doom.”
Cases in the US in the past week were up about 10 percent from the previous week, to about 60,000 per day, with both hospitalizations and deaths ticking up, Walensky said.
She said that without immediate action, the US could follow Europe into another spike in cases and suffer needless deaths.
“I have to share the truth, and I have to hope and trust you will listen,” she said.
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