It’s been more than five years since COVID-19 first made its grand entrance into the United States, and we’re still not quite out of the woods yet. Every week, we’re still losing hundreds of people to this pesky virus, with an average of about 350 deaths occurring each week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But hey, at least it’s better than that crazy peak back in January 2021, where we saw a whopping 25,974 deaths in just one week. So, progress, right?
Who’s to blame for these ongoing deaths, you ask? Well, according to public health experts, there are a few culprits at play. For starters, there’s the issue of low vaccine uptake. Only 23% of adults and a mere 13% of children have received the updated COVID-19 vaccine as of late April. And let’s not forget about waning immunity – turns out, the protection from those vaccines doesn’t last forever, leaving some folks vulnerable to infection. Dr. Gregory Poland, a vaccinologist, even mentioned that some people’s genes might be to blame for their lackluster response to the vaccine. So, it’s not just about getting the shot; it’s about how your body decides to play along.
But wait, there’s more! We also have a problem with people not accessing COVID treatments. There are antiviral pills like molnupiravir and Paxlovid, as well as the intravenous medication remdesivir, that can help ease the symptoms and duration of the virus. Yet, some patients either aren’t getting treated early enough or aren’t getting tested at all, leading to missed diagnoses and potentially more deaths. It’s like having a toolbox full of tools but not bothering to use any of them. Maybe it’s time we start taking advantage of what we have available to us, you know?
