Experts say the risk of Covid-19 in some unvaccinated people is higher than ever

Travis Caldwell and Darrion Andone, CNN

Expectations for the United States to return to pre-pandemic normal conditions this summer are rapidly giving way to the reality of long-term battles. COVID19, There is an increase in infectious diseases in all 50 states.

And national health authorities Be careful..

Dr. Craig Spencer, Global Health Director of Emergency Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, said:

“People are enjoying this wonderful summer return, a little more carefree and lazy, making you more likely to be exposed, because there is no obligation to mask,” Spencer told CNN on Friday.

In fact, the number of people traveling by plane on Friday set a record for the pandemic era, with about 2.2 million screened at US airports. Transportation Security Administration said, Add a warning: “# MaskUp”.

In the meantime, vaccinated people should “keep getting smarter,” but Spencer said they are very unlikely to get sick, be hospitalized, or die of Covid-19.

How pandemics affect vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals differently has been demonstrated in hospitals across the country. Local health officials report the overwhelming majority of Covid-19 hospitalizations among those who have not yet been fully vaccinated.

According to the report, about 48.4% of the US population is fully vaccinated. Latest data From the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the average 7-day vaccination pace was down 13% from the previous week.

In states where less than half of the residents were fully vaccinated, the average case rate for Covid-19 was 11 new cases per 100,000 last week, compared to more than half of the residents who were fully vaccinated in the states. It was 4 per 100,000 people. CNN analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University.

According to government data, Canada outperforms the United States in the proportion of fully vaccinated people over the age of 12. So far, 16,612,850 Canadians (50.04%) have been fully vaccinated, while 160,686,378 (48.4% of Americans) have been fully vaccinated.

“I don’t think I’ve seen the worst.”

Local authorities continue to warn of the increase in incidents, especially among unvaccinated people. 20 states have Completely vaccinated According to the CDC, more than half of residents have expanded medical facility resources in low-vaccination states.

Only a quarter of the population of Mobile County, Alabama is fully vaccinated, Commissioner Merceria Radgood said at a press conference on Friday. And now the county is seeing a significant increase in hospitalizations, said last month’s hospitalizations increased by 400%, according to Dr. Laura Sepeda, chief medical officer at the Mobile County Health Department.

“We are dissatisfied with the fact that we are gathering again to sound the alarm,” Radgood said of the increase in incidents.

Mayor Sandy Stimpson encouraged those who took the shot to talk to their loved ones and neighbors.

“Today we have sports heroes, we have rock stars, we have movie stars, and we encourage coaches to vaccinate people all over the country,” Stimpson said. “But if you’re vaccinated, don’t underestimate your ability to reach out and encourage someone to do so. You may be the one who convinces them that this is the right thing to do. “

Katie Towns, deputy director of the Springfield-Greene County Health Department in Missouri, will bring alternative care sites and staff from the state to CNN on Friday to address the increasing number of Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations. He said he was requesting. A level I’ve never seen before “

“The most impressive are demographics and age,” she said of Covid-19 patients. “Illness really comes from the elderly … I’m 20, 30, and 40 years old in the hospital and I’m in need of ICU care and oxygen.”

The town said that “almost all” patients in the hospital were not vaccinated and hospitals and health officials predicted an increase in numbers after the July 4 holiday.

“I don’t think I’ve seen the worst,” Towns said when asked where the county was standing in the fight against the pandemic.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said on Friday that 97% of Covid-19-related cases and deaths have been completely unvaccinated since February.

Return of mask guidelines

However, even in areas with high vaccination rates, authorities are beginning to reestablish safety protocols such as mask mandates that seek to control the spread.

Health officials in the San Francisco Bay Area announced on Friday that they recommend that everyone wear masks indoors.It followed the news from this week Los Angeles County, This will reinstate its indoor mask obligations on Saturday night for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

George Metsos, owner of Patys Restaurant in Los Angeles, told CNN that Mask’s obligations are confusing and guidance changes are useless.

“They say they follow science. Well, they said don’t wear a mask if you’re vaccinated. If you’re vaccinated, wear a mask.” Mr. Metos said. “I need to protect my customers, I need to protect my employees, I have to follow the rules, but I’m in very good contact with the American people. They’re very frustrated. I will. “

Amid growing concerns, local governments “have the discretion to go one step further or take another step to ensure that the spread of the virus is actually contained,” said the director of the National Institute of Allergology. Said Dr. Anthony Fauci. The infectious disease told NBC Nightly News. “And they do it by saying that everyone should wear a mask.”

Unvaccinated healthcare workers are causing staffing problems

Health authorities Preached With the need for vaccination by Americans, one industry faces a growing crisis with unvaccinated workers. It’s health care.

For example, the University of Florida Health Jacksonville Hospital is experiencing staffing issues due to unvaccinated staff, and Covid-19 hospitalizations are on the rise, according to Chad Nielsen, who is responsible for infection prevention. I will.

In addition to burnout, unvaccinated staff are exposed to and infected with Covid-19, making hospital staffing (a 50% increase in Covid-19 hospitalizations over the past two weeks) a major issue. Neilsen said. According to the director, UF Health Jacksonville employees have only about 52% vaccine compliance.

“Unvaccinated employees seem to take longer to recover and get back to work,” Nielsen said as the hospital is considering suspending elective surgery.

According to AARP analysis, only 56% of nursing home healthcare workers are fully vaccinated, and one-fifth of nursing homes meet the industry goal of being fully vaccinated by 75% of staff. Not too much.

Analysis shows that at the national level, far more inhabitants than staff are fully vaccinated. Although the number of deaths in nursing homes has declined significantly since the introduction of the vaccine, AARP reported that one-third of US Covid-19 deaths during a pandemic were due to residents and staff in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. I think it is.

On Friday, the American Medical College Association urged member agencies to require employees to be vaccinated with Covid-19 to protect patients and health care workers due to the distribution of Delta variants.

“Nationwide, there is increasing evidence that currently unvaccinated people continue to be at high risk of getting Covid-19 and are the overwhelming majority of new hospitalizations,” said Dr. David Sorkin, president of AAMC, on Friday. Said.

“Still, the coronavirus tragically lost some health care workers, but others brought the infection back to their families,” Sorkin said. “Vaccination of health care workers at affiliated facilities can save lives.”

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., Warner Media Company. all rights reserved.

CNN’s Lauren Mascarenhas, Jen Christensen, Jacqueline Howard, Laine Mackey, Deidre McPhillips, Leyla Santiago and Sara Weisfeldt contributed to this report.