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Spread of mutation

‘Delta variant greatest threat to US pandemic response’

The Delta variant of the novel coronavirus that was first found in India is the greatest threat to the United States’ effort to eradicate COVID-19 in its borders, said U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci during a Tuesday press call.

“The transmissibility is unquestionably greater” in the Delta variant than the original variant of COVID-19, Fauci said, adding that “it is associated with an increased disease severity.”

The Delta variant is becoming the globally dominant version of the disease, the World Health Organization’s chief scientist said on Friday.

Fauci said that the vaccines authorized in the United States, including the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, are effective against the new variant of COVID-19.

“We have the tools, so let’s use them and crush the outbreak,” Fauci said.

The Delta variant contributed to a severe outbreak of COVID-19 in India during April and May that overwhelmed health services in the country and killed hundreds of thousands. (Reuters)

US to miss July 4 goal of one shot for 70% of adults

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The U.S. government won’t meet its goal of administering one or more doses of a COVID vaccine to 70 percent of U.S. adults by July 4, White House COVID response team coordinator Jeffrey Zients conceded Tuesday.

But he said President Joe Biden’s administration had “succeeded beyond our highest expectations” in

returning the nation to a pre-pandemic normal, as the infection rate has plummeted and large gatherings of vaccinated people are now considered safe.

“We think it’ll take a few extra weeks to get to 70 percent of all adults with at least one shot,” Zients told reporters in a briefing.

As of Tuesday, 65.4 percent of over18s had received one or more doses of the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson shots.

Seventy percent of over-30s nationally have received one or more shots, and 70 percent of over-27s are expected to be partially vaccinated by July 4, the day the United States commemorates its Declaration of Independence.

Nationwide, the vaccination rate has been declining since April when it hit a peak average of 3.4 million daily shots. The latest average is around 850,000 daily shots.

Adult immunization rates vary greatly by state. The Northeast has some of the highest uptake, with Vermont leading the charge at 84 percent partially vaccinated and 75 percent fully vaccinated.

The bottom of the table is dominated by states in the South, with Mississippi covering just 45 percent of adults with one shot and 37 percent with two.

According to nationally representative surveys carried out by the Kaiser Family Foundation, unvaccinated adults are significantly younger, less educated, more likely to be Republicans, people of color and uninsured.

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2021-06-24T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-06-24T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://ktimes.pressreader.com/article/281732682451032

The Korea Times Co.