by William Cao
The United States reported its first COVID-19 case in January 2020. By August 2021, more than a year and a half later, there had been over 36 million cases, 620 thousand deaths, and several variants circulating across the country. However, despite the recent uptick in case numbers, the vaccine rollout fundamentally changes the pandemic landscape compared to previous waves.
A new strain of coronavirus, the Delta variant, has spread quickly and is now responsible for the vast majority — over 90 percent — of all cases in the US. First detected in India, the Delta variant is highly contagious and more transmissible than previous COVID-19 strains. Although the symptoms are similar to previous strains, scientists have discovered that Delta variant infections have larger viral loads.
Fortunately, the vaccines are highly effective against both COVID-19 and the variants: breakthrough cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are incredibly uncommon amongst the fully vaccinated community. A report from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) found that “the rate of breakthrough cases reported among those fully vaccinated is well below 1% in all reporting states…” and is close to zero percent regarding hospitalizations and deaths.
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Consequently, communities with lower vaccination rates are more susceptible and vulnerable to contract and die from the virus. Due to rising cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reversed its indoor mask policy and now recommends that all people wear masks in indoor spaces with “substantial or high transmission” regardless of their vaccination status.
As cases climb, vaccination rates in the US have remained relatively stagnant. Who’s responsible for the new surge? The answer is simple: the unvaccinated.
The KFF conducted a poll of the people who have not taken the vaccine and found that “compared to those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine, unvaccinated adults are younger, less educated, more likely to be republicans, people of color, and uninsured”. It also notes that there are two distinct parties within the unvaccinated population. The “definitely not” group is predominantly white and Republican-leaning, while the “wait and see” group tends to be more black, hispanic, and politically split. [visual on the right]
These findings shouldn’t be too surprising. There are many reasons why people are reluctant to take the vaccine. Some do not perceive COVID-19 as a real threat or are concerned about vaccine side effects, while others worry whether they will be charged with burdensome fees or have general mistrust in the American healthcare system altogether. For these groups of people, the imperfections of the vaccines outweigh the benefits, even when there is remarkable evidence for the latter.
Campaigns are an effective way to promote the vaccine and its benefits and waive the hesitancy that comes with getting the shot. One way to reach out to the unvaccinated population is to organize community-centered movements that address the benefits of being vaccinated. This way, people can get reliable information from a trusted source. Many federal agencies have also implemented incentives such as vaccine lotteries, hoping to increase interest. Additionally, surveys have shown that “nearly half of the ‘wait and see’ group would be ‘more likely’ to get a vaccine if one of the vaccines currently authorized for emergency use receives full approval from the FDA.”
During the past few weeks, the Delta variant has swept through the nation and cases are on the rise once again. However, unlike previous waves, this time people can now make the choice to get vaccinated and prevent getting terribly sick and potentially dying from the novel and unpredictable virus.
edited by Vishal Krishnaiah
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