Trump CDC Director Robert Redfield warns of more dangerous variant than Delta in the fall

With hospitals already being pushed to their limits, Dr Robert Redfield, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has warned that an even more infectious variant could strike the United States in just a few months.

The contagious nature of the Delta variant is fueling spikes in cases across the United States and the more the virus is allowed to spread, the more likely it is to grow. COVID-19 was already one of the most infectious diseases in humans in its infancy, and Redfield warned it had a ‘push’ to be able to progress at a rapid rate, making the need for vaccination even greater. more critical.

“Unfortunately, I’m going to predict that in two, three or four months we will have another variant and that variant will be more contagious,” Redfield told Fox News on Monday. “The only thing we can all do to really deal with the evolution of this next variant, to slow it down, is to vaccinate our population.”

In addition to the immediate economic and human toll the pandemic is taking to the world, the continued spread of SARS-CoV-2 is raising concerns about the future of the epidemic. Redfield pointed out that the virus replicates at a high capacity in humans, making the risk of variant evolution “extremely high”.

The emergence of a more infectious variant means that more people could be infected, which increases the possibility of additional hospitalizations. Health systems across the country, especially in areas with low vaccination rates, are feeling the stress of dealing with an influx of COVID-19 patients. Some are unable to staff their hospitals enough, preventing maximum treatment of patients, others have had to turn people away due to lack of beds, and some are suspending some surgeries.

Without the ability to properly care for an increased number of COVID-19 patients, the death toll could increase, and eventually a variant could pose a threat to those who are vaccinated.

As SARS-CoV-2 spreads, officials fear that a variant will emerge that eludes vaccines. A nightmare scenario, scientists would have to develop a new vaccine and the world would revaccinate entire populations.

One way to prevent the emergence of a variant resistant to the vaccine is to interfere with the ability of the virus to spread. While limiting interactions with other people and wearing a mask can help achieve this goal, Redfield and other health officials have urged people to get vaccinated because it is the best defense the world has. against COVID-19.

Nearly 60% of the U.S. population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and more than 70% of adults nationwide are at least partially vaccinated. However, achieving collective immunity is not enough, and adults who have not been vaccinated are reluctant to get vaccinated.

States and cities have tried various incentives, including scholarships, money, and free food, to get people vaccinated, but these have failed to move the needle in any meaningful way. With the increased immunization requirements for dining indoors, going to work, and serving in the military, officials are hoping people will make appointments to be vaccinated.

However, vaccinating the United States is not enough, and the World Health Organization has warned that not vaccinating the world will only exacerbate the pandemic.

In addition to increasing the number of people who get vaccinated, Redfield stressed the importance of maintaining immunity in America’s most vulnerable populations. Focusing on those who are most likely to become seriously ill with COVID-19 could help reduce pressure on hospitals and decrease the number of future deaths.