Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Monday the seven-day average of daily coronavirus cases in the U.S. was higher than last summer’s peak, which occurred months before any vaccines were authorized and widely available.
Cases in the U.S., based on that weeklong moving average, reached 72,790 on Friday, the CDC said.
During the height of the pandemic in the summer of 2020, the U.S. had a seven-day average of 68,700 new cases per day. The agency said cases dropped below that Saturday and Sunday, according to their most up-to-date data.
“While we desperately want to be done with this pandemic, COVID-19 is clearly not done with us, and so our battle must last a little longer,” Walensky said during a White House briefing. “This is hard. This is heavy. But, we are in this together. And as we learn more about COVID, we continue to rely on proven ways to protect ourselves, our children and our loved ones.”
The troubling data comes as cases have spiked across the country, particularly in areas with low vaccination rates, fueled by the highly contagious delta variant. However, studies have repeatedly shown the available vaccines are all highly effective against COVID and especially effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalization and death. Only about 0.001% people who have been infected after getting vaccinated have died.
Nearly 165 million Americans are considered fully vaccinated, and 70% of adults have received at least one dose.
Walensky emphasized the cases are almost entirely among unvaccinated people.
“If you are not vaccinated — please, protect yourself and get vaccinated,” she said.
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