Health experts from the Biden administration have announced a projection that as many as 90,000 more in the US will die from the coronavirus in the next four weeks as the White House launched its new ‘Level-with-America’ health briefings.
The stark warning comes as the government commits to improve delivery and injection of vaccines and in line with President Joe Biden’s promise to be straight with the nation about the state of the outbreak that has already claimed more than 425,000 lives in the US.
“I know this is not news we all want to hear, but this is something we must say so we are all aware. If we are united in action, we can turn things around.”
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the new Director of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
The ‘Level-with-America’ briefings, set for three times a week, are part of President Biden’s attempt to rebuild trust and mobilize Americans to follow health guidance on the coronavirus and to break down public resistance to the vaccine.
It was conducted virtually as administration officials appeared on Zoom from separate locations, to exemplify best practices for safe work habits in the pandemic.
One by one, the officials laid out administration efforts to contain the virus, speed vaccinations and bring Americans along with the effort.
“The White House respects and will follow the science, and the scientists will speak independently,” promised Andy Slavitt, a Senior Administration Adviser on the pandemic.
Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus Coordinator, also said the Biden administration was examining additional ways of speeding vaccine production, a day after the President announced that the US plans to provide states with enough doses for 300 million Americans by the end of summer.
“Most states are getting better at putting needles in arms,” Zients said. He called on Congress to swiftly pass Biden’s “American Rescue Plan.” The $1.9 trillion bill, which has divided opinion amongst lawmakers in both parties, includes $400 billion for measures aimed at controlling the virus, including dramatically increasing the pace of vaccination and ensuring more widespread testing.
Mr Zients noted that the Federal Department of Health and Human Services has acted to make more people available to administer vaccinations.
“The government will authorize retired nurses and doctors, and professionals licensed in one state to be able to give shots in other states.”
Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top Infectious Disease Expert, added that there was reason to be concerned about the impact of some coronavirus mutations on vaccines, but scientists have plenty of options for adjustments to maintain effectiveness.
Dr Fauci said there was particular concern about the South African variant, because lab tests have shown it can diminish the protective power of the vaccines approved to date. He stressed that the level of protection provided was still well within the “cushion” of vaccine effectiveness, but added that the government was working with pharmaceutical companies on potential “booster” shots for the new variants.
Earlier, researchers from the KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP) determined that the South African coronavirus variant is ‘between 20 and 200%’ more infectious than original.
Dr. David Hamer, a Professor of global health and medicine at Boston University’s School of Public Health, said having briefings from health officials that are “based on serious science” would go a long way toward improving public perceptions of the vaccine.
“There’s a certain amount of vaccine hesitancy, and so educating people about the vaccine, how it works, how safe it is and how it can protect against the disease but also slow transmission is really important.”
