Cliff’s Take: Regression?
Did you catch the CDC warning us that once again, we’re at a “pivotal point” in the pandemic? America has moved on from the pandemic. But, the pandemic has not moved on from America.
Though we’ve come a long way on reopening, vaccination rates have stalled out, and cases are rising again. Anyone else feeling like it is Groundhog Day? COVID always feels like one step forward, two steps back.
Of course, with the Delta variant being as contagious as it is – and vaccine hesitants being as stubborn as they are– our present state is sadly far from surprising. This week our indicators are flashing some warning signs, both on the economic and public health front.
Below I detail what the data has to say about our progress on reopening:
- Delta fears. Concern about COVID is now ticking up again. Why? The delta variant. Look at the data. When will this thing end, variants and all? Not sure. But probably later rather than sooner.
- The threat of normal life. Right now, not everyone is so sure that returning to our pre-COVID lives is the best idea. Such a leap carries risks. But how about for people unconcerned about the Delta variant? For them, returning to normal life is no sweat.
- Vaccine hesitant. Vaccine hesitancy isn’t distributed equally across the United States. In the non-Atlantic South– where COVID cases are spiking right now – one in four say they do not plan to get the vaccine at all. Can we nudge or budge these vaccine holdouts into getting a jab? We will see.
- Cause and Effect. This week, Americans are suddenly a lot less confident about a quick post-pandemic rebound. And they are increasingly worried about letting businesses reopen too soon. Granted: a majority are still hopeful on both counts. But Delta variant worries could also be at play here. Look at the data; it is pretty clear.
- Inflation woes. We’ve been hearing a lot about inflation these days. How far-reaching is it? Consumers believe inflation is everywhere, from the grocery store to the gas pump. This, too, will influence our post-pandemic world.
So, where does this leave us? We are still moving towards a return to “normal,” but vaccinations remain our perennial stumbling block. As the head of the CDC put it last week, this is becoming a "crisis of the unvaccinated.” At this point, to reach herd immunity, we will need more than just vaccine incentives. And for those of us who are vaccinated, remember that no one is fully immune from the ripple effects of the virus spreading rapidly in many parts of the country.
Be safe, be sane.
For more information, please contact:
Clifford Young
President, U.S.
Public Affairs
+1 202 420-2016
[email protected]
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