The Delta variant of the Sars2-COV-2 virus is continuing to spread across the United States as ICU (Intensive care Unit) beds in the states of Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky and Florida.
The Delta Variant Continues To Spread With No ICU Beds In Some States In The US
In fact, cases of the delta variant have increased in 37 of the 60 states in the US. The state of Mississippi alone recorded 7839 new cases and 52 deaths due to Covid 19 in just 3 days following 15 august. This has forced hospitals in these states to postpone surgeries that would require post-operative admission in hospitals as Covid cases continue to surge.
A medical practitioner pointed out that those who have not yet got themselves vaccinated are putting others besides themselves at risk of contacting the deadly virus.
83,693 Americans are now hospitalised as on Tuesday 17 August 2021 and this is double the number of hospitalisations due to Covid 19 three weeks ago. Kentucky state Public health commissioner Dr. Steven Stack pointed out that the pandemic is showing no signs of abating and that the record for ICU bed shortage is still to be surpassed.
Meanwhile, Pfizer and BioNtech have been pushing for a third booster doses of their vaccine after it was found that the 2 doses presently being administered has reduced efficacy. Approval for this third booster dose is awaiting approval from the United States Food and drug administration (FDA). Many Americans are beginning to question the efficacy of the 2 Pfizer doses.
CNN Medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen asked how quickly does the strength of the two doses wane. Both the FDA followed by the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have already allowed giving the third booster dose to people with compromised immune systems.
It is also being suggested that the administration of United States president Biden will allow the third booster dose to be administered after the FDA officially permits it. Some studies have shown that the third booster dose is effective against the delta and Beta variants of the Sars-COV-2 virus.
Cases of Covid infections are continuing to rise at an alarming rate and the country’s healthcare system is under stress. The Mississippi Medical centre is reported making a makeshift second field hospital in one of its garages.
The State of Texas has asked for additional mortuary trailers as back up after the number of deaths in the state began to rise. The governors of Texas and Florida had issued bans on schools making the wearing of masks compulsory, these 2 states now top the states with the highest number of paediatric hospitalisation due to Covid. Texas has 239 children hospitalised followed by 170 in Florida.
Though there is an increase in vaccination, 49.1% Americans have still not been vaccinated. Dr. Chris T. Pernell of the American School of Preventive Medicine attributes the rise in cases of the Delta variant to unvaccinated Reservoirs. He added that such a large portion of unvaccinated people allows the deadly variant of the Sars-COV-2 virus to have a free run, keep mutating itself and find ways to penetrate immune systems. This spread is keeping children from schools and those that go to schools will be required to wear masks to keep themselves safe. 77% Parents of school going children in the United States now support mask mandates in Schools.
Dr. Brett Giroir, former Assistant Secretary for Health during the term of former US president Trump revealed that only 23 states are reporting the true number of cases of infected and hospitalised children.
Since children below the age of 12 still do not have clearance for vaccination, it is necessary to keep them masked while in school.
The need of the hour is to vaccinate more and more of the American people and permit even the third booster dose but most of all to find a way to stop and finish this virus once and for all.
