This chart from
NYT shows
the decline in new cases of COVID-19 has leveled off. This plateau could be due to several factors, among them are the emergence of a new variant called Delta that emerged from India that is
more contagious and severe than the original, and a reluctance to become vaccinated by about a third of the population, which corresponds roughly to the number of supporters of the virus denier-in-chief, the stable genius himself. Seasonality may also play a role; this fall may have an upturn in hospitalizations and new cases. Good news: current vaccines seem to work against the variants.
Completed trials of Novavax, the newest vaccine, indicate it is as effective as Pfizer and Moderna, if not more so. The US has a surplus of available vaccines, but the developing world, especially Africa, is experience a shortage of medicines. The UN estimates 11 billion doses are needed to vaccinate the world effectively against the pandemic. The recent G-7 summit of wealthy countries agreed to provide 1 billion doses.
US COVID-19 DEATHS (est.): 820,000
