Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Rochelle Walensky has a stark warning for the country — “the virus is not done with us” yet.
What’s going on?
Walensky told PBS recently that the coronavirus pandemic will continue to rage throughout the country. People shouldn’t let up just because vaccines are available.
- “We may be done with the virus, but clearly the virus is not done with us.”
- Walensky said the drop in cases — which have declined since the 2020 holiday season — isn’t a sign that the virus will go away just yet, PBS reports.
Walensky’s comments echo President Joe Biden’s recent remarks. He said recently that it is “not the time to relax.”
Per Axios, Biden said “cases and hospitalizations could go back up as new variants emerge.”
- “And it’s not the time to relax. We have to keep washing our hands, staying socially distanced, and for God’s sake, wear your mask. It’s not a political statement. It’s a patriotic thing to do.”
More advice
Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to President Biden, also warned against complacency from Americans as the rollout of the vaccine, according to CBS News.
- “We don’t want to continue to prevent people from doing what they want to do. But let’s get down to a good level,” Fauci said in an interview on “Face the Nation.” “Let’s get many, many more people vaccinated. And then you could pull back on those types of public health measures. But right now, as we’re going down and plateauing, is not the time to declare victory because we’re not victorious yet.”