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WASHINGTON – The United States is in danger of losing ground to the Covid-19 coronavirus as a new post-holiday surge fills hospitals and the vaccine administration scale falls below expectations.
Added to the concerns is the detection revealed Tuesday of the first known case of the most contagious British variant in Colorado, in a young man in his 20s with no travel history, suggesting a local transmission of unknown origin.
In a statement, Colorado Governor Jared Polis said: “The individual has no identified close contacts so far, but public health officials are working to identify other cases and potential contacts through in-depth contact tracing interviews.” .
This came as the death toll in the United States from the virus continues to rise, with a further increase after the holidays in addition to the one before, after Thanksgiving.
With more than 63,000 deaths in just 26 days, December has been the deadliest month for the United States since the pandemic began.
The worst is coming, experts warn.
On Tuesday, the United States recorded a new daily high of more than 3,700 new coronavirus-related deaths. It also reported the most Covid-19 hospitalizations, with more than 124,600 patients nationwide.
Several states are experiencing record levels of new infections. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said the state was about to open a temporary hospital with 60 additional beds. Texas officials reported a record 11,700 hospitalizations.
In Los Angeles County, California, hospitals are running out of oxygen, and the number of patients hospitalized for Covid-19 is approaching 7,200, nearly 1,000 times more than just two months ago. Stay-at-home requests were renewed indefinitely Tuesday for nearly the entire state.
Meanwhile, the vaccine launch is running into trouble. Fewer doses than anticipated are being shipped to the states. And many states lack resources.
States and public health officials have been requesting more than $ 8 billion in additional funding for the vaccination campaign. So far, the Donald Trump administration has provided just $ 340 million. “We are trying to do everything with very little money, when we really need a lot of money invested,” Ms. Ann Lewandowski of the Wisconsin Rural Health Cooperative told the media this week.
Around $ 8 billion is forecast in the coronavirus stimulus package signed by President Trump last Sunday, so there is some hope that the effort will increase once the funds are disbursed. But in the meantime, the effort has lagged behind.
While Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar has said that all Americans will be able to receive the vaccine by the end of June 2021, which is a vaccination rate of 3.5 million per day, the Centers for Control and Disease Prevention said 2.1 million on Monday. Doses of coronavirus vaccines have been administered in two weeks.
Dr. Leana S. Wen, Visiting Professor of Health Policy and Management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, tweeted Tuesday: “With the current rate of # covid19 vaccinations, the US It will take 10 years to inoculate 80% of Americans. “
She blamed the poor performance on “overpromising and then moving the goal post. Spreading responsibility to states without giving them guidance or resources.”
“It is a real tragedy to have vaccines in warehouses when thousands die every day,” he tweeted.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Monday: “We are below where we want to be.
“As I was not responsible for the launch myself, I cannot personally guarantee that we will catch up. I hope we will.”
On Tuesday, President-elect Joe Biden in a speech criticized the speed of vaccine distribution under the Donald Trump administration.
But he also tempered expectations, saying: “This will take longer than anyone would like and longer than the promises of the Trump administration have suggested.”
“This will be the biggest operational challenge we have ever faced as a nation, but we are going to achieve it. It will take a huge new effort that is not yet underway.” added.
On Tuesday, the coronavirus for the first time took the life of a congressman. Louisiana Republican Luke Letlow, 41, elected this month and due to be sworn in on Sunday, tested positive on Dec. 18.
On December 19, he was hospitalized and treated with steroids and the antiviral drug Remdesivir. Eleven days after testing positive, he died, leaving behind his wife and two children.
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