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WASHINGTON, DC: Daily U.S. deaths from COVID-19 surpassed 2,000 for the first time since May and hospitals across the country are already full, heralding an increase in mortality as the coronavirus pandemic casts a shadow over the holiday season.
The death toll reached 2,157 on Tuesday (Nov. 24), one person every 40 seconds, with another 170,000 infected – numbers that experts say could rise with millions of Americans defying official warnings and traveling for the US holiday. Thanksgiving Thursday.
Hospitalizations in the United States for COVID-19 topped 87,000 on Tuesday, a record high, while 30 of the 50 states reported a record number of COVID-19-related hospitalizations this month, according to an official Reuters data tally.
The daily record of 3,384 deaths occurred on April 14, in the early stages of the pandemic.
Since the global pandemic began, US totals of nearly 260,000 deaths and 12.6 million infections lead the world and “every Thanksgiving trip ensures that no one will catch us either,” said Dr. Tatiana Prowell of the College. Johns Hopkins Medicine.
“The American ‘each person for himself’ mentality is killing hundreds of thousands of us. It is devastating to watch,” Prowell said on Twitter.
With the increase in cases, more than half of the nation’s governors imposed or re-imposed measures statewide this month. But despite stricter face mask requirements, curfews, and limits in bars and restaurants, the virus’s metrics have only gotten worse.
READ: ‘On fire’ with COVID-19: Officials plead with Americans to stay home
READ: Many Americans Challenge COVID-19 Travel Warnings Ahead of Thanksgiving Break
US President-elect Joe Biden vowed to make fighting the pandemic his top priority when taking office on January 20 and will deliver a speech Wednesday aimed at encouraging Americans and focusing on the sacrifices they are making, said his office.
Outgoing President Donald Trump has been largely silent on the issue, making a one-minute appearance in the White House meeting room Tuesday to talk about the stock market.
Meanwhile, US school districts face pressure from all sides as they fight over how to educate children during the pandemic, a Reuters survey of 217 districts showed.
Many parents resist online instruction as inferior to classroom learning and detrimental to life at home and work. Other parents worry about sending their children back to classrooms prematurely amid a raging pandemic. Teachers say they are not comfortable teaching in person, for fear of infection.
“Every school district in the nation is in a position where no matter what decision they make and how well thought out it is, some community members will think it is the wrong decision,” said Larry Rother, CEO. Kindergarten through 12th grade pre-educational services senior in Chandler, Arizona.
Help may come with promising vaccines.
Officials from the US government’s Operation Warp Speed program told reporters Tuesday that they plan to release 6.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine nationwide in an initial distribution after regulators authorize the release. first for emergency use, which could happen as early as December 10.
If all goes well, 40 million doses will be distributed before the end of the year, they said.
A decision from the Food and Drug Administration on the emergency use of the vaccine from Pfizer Inc. is expected on December 10.
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