“We continue to see cases, hospitalizations and deaths increase across the country. And now, over 90% of counties in the United States are experiencing substantial or high transmission,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters at a briefing Thursday. “As we have been saying, by far, those at highest risk remain people who have not yet been vaccinated.”
The CDC recorded 132,384 new cases of Covid on Wednesday, reaching a seven-day average of about 113,000 cases per day, jumping almost 24% from the prior week, she said. Hospital admissions have similarly climbed by about 31% over the previous week to about 9,700 per day.
“Vaccination requirements are gaining momentum across the country and are already covering tens of millions of workers, educators, college and university students, and health-care providers,” White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeffrey Zients said at the briefing. “They will help keep communities safe and stop the spread of the virus.”
Walensky cited new data that “did not find any safety concerns for pregnant people who are vaccinated late in pregnancy, or for their babies,” she said.
“Ending this pandemic requires every American to do their part. So, please, if you’re unvaccinated, get your shot … it’s never been more important,” Zients said.
“In the hardest-hit states, vaccination rates are climbing as residents take precautions against the spread of the delta variant, he said. The average number of daily shots tripled in Arkansas and quadrupled in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi over the past month”, Zients said.
