The number of US Covid infections has reached 200,000 ahead of Thanksgiving while the number of deaths is over 1,500 daily.
The new US Covid infections last Friday are an increase of 20% compared with a week ago, according to a CNBC analysis of data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Data suggests that the seven-day average of new infections rose by at least 5% week over week in 43 states and the District of Columbia.
The increase in cases causes a rise in hospitalizations and deaths. Over 82,100 Covid-19 patients are currently in hospitals across the country, more than at any point before during the pandemic, based on the data from the COVID Tracking Project, which is run by journalists at The Atlantic.
Meanwhile, more than 1,800 people in the U.S. died of Covid-19 on Friday.
According to Dr. Henry Walke, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Covid-19 incident manager, they are “alarmed” by the “exponential increase in cases and hospitalizations and deaths.”
He explained there is “no more important time than now for each and every American to redouble our efforts to watch our distance, wash our hands and, most importantly, wear a mask.”
“CDC is recommending against travel during the Thanksgiving period,” he said. “For Americans who decide to travel, CDC recommends doing so as safely as possible by following the same recommendations for everyday living.”
Walke said that the CDC worries “about the transportation hubs.” He added that the public may not be able to observe social distancing while waiting in line, for example, when they use buses and planes.
Moreover, he revealed that 30% to 40% of the spread of the virus is caused by people without symptoms.
“From an individual household level, what’s at stake is basically increased chance of one of your loved ones becoming sick and then hospitalized and dying,” Walke said. “We certainly don’t want to see that happen. These times are tough. It’s been a long outbreak.”
Dr. Erin Sauber-Schatz, the CDC’s community intervention and critical population task force lead, reiterated that they are “asking people to be flexible,” saying that those who are going to the homes of at-risk people must be careful.
The CDC’s “strong recommendation” for Thanksgiving holiday travel urges people to check infection rates in areas where participants of the dinner live, limit the number of attendees, increase ventilation, observe physical distancing, wear a mask, and avoid potluck-style gatherings.
Meanwhile, airline executives said on Thursday that airline bookings have begun to drop ahead of Thanksgiving in the U.S.
“Certainly with the increase in infection rates really throughout the country we’ve seen a dampening of demand,” American Airlines President Robert Isom told the audience of Skift Aviation Forum. “It’s really too soon to tell how deep and how long there may be a depressed environment but we’ve seen some weakening of bookings.”
The U.S. may experience Covid peak in January as the country experiences outbreaks, says. Dr. Gottlieb.
He said that scientists and public health officials still warn that the U.S. could experience Covid peak even if there is reported progress in vaccine development.
According to Pfizer and BioNTech’s statement, their coronavirus vaccine was more than 90% effective in responding to Covid-19 among those without proof of prior infection. They consider the development as “a great day for science and humanity.”
“I think we can see light at the end of the tunnel,” Pfizer Chairman and CEO Dr. Albert Bourla said during an interview on CNBC’s Meg Tirrell on “Squawk Box.” “I believe this is likely the most significant medical advance in the last 100 years, if you count the impact this will have in public health, global economy.”
