Coronavirus cases in the U.S. are expected to surge again, as the highly contagious B.1.1.7 variant is spreading across the country. It is expected to peak in the month of May and start to decline by July, as per the latest data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The increase in cases is expected as states are relaxing prevention strategies for companies, schools, and large-scale gatherings, and the B.1.1.7 variant, which was first identified in the U.K., is also spreading quickly across the country.
The CDC projected the trajectory of the coronavirus pandemic based on 4 different scenarios of state reopenings and vaccination rates. While the exact case numbers were different in each scenario, the general trend was pretty much the same across all scenarios, with the number of new cases increasing the most in May and then falling in July.
Although the number of COVID-19 cases is expected to increase in May, deaths and hospitalizations are expected to remain low. Federal health officials stated that compliance with pandemic safety measures and high vaccination coverage is essential to keep the pandemic under control and prevent an increase in the number of hospitalizations in the coming few months.
During a recent White House COVID press briefing, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the Director of the CDC, mentioned that the projections should remind people that there is a path out of this. However, she also said that while the country is seeing progress with regard to decreased hospitalizations, deaths, and new cases, variants are a wild card that could end up reversing all the progress the country has made.
Fortunately, U.S. health officials have reported that they are working to increase access to vaccinations and are actively trying to encourage hesitant Americans to get the shot.
