The US is moving towards more mandated vaccines and a renewed use of masks due to the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic among unvaccinated.The country is facing a pandemic with 51 percent not being fully vaccinated, and the hypertransmissible beta variant spreading quickly. The number of cases is still rising in all 50 US states, up 170 percent over the past two weeks, and the rate of increase in these cases is also increasing.COVID-19 thrives in areas with low vaccination rates. Arkansas and Louisiana have the highest new case rates, with only 36% of residents being vaccinated in both states. There are also surges in unvaccinated people in Mississippi, Missouri, Florida and Missouri.Hospitalizations for COVID-19 have increased by 58 percent in the United States, with 97 percent of these patients not being vaccinated. Nationally, death rates are increasing by 20 percent. This is almost exclusively in unvaccinated individuals.Jerome Adams, the former Surgeon General, stated Sunday that the surge and subsequent mitigation efforts to try and tamp it down were the result of people's decisions not to get vaccinated against COVID-19.Adams warned that more mitigation was coming, "whether it be closings, masking, closures, or your children having to return to virtual schooling, it is coming." It's happening because the pandemic is out of control and we aren't vaccinating enough people. He encouraged everyone to get vaccinated in order to protect themselves and others, as well as to "help every American have the freedoms we desire to return to."AdvertisementMandates and masksAdams' prediction was quickly confirmed. Anthony Fauci, a top expert in infectious diseases, told CNN on Sunday that revisions to federal masking guidelines were being considered. However, the current surge in delta has led to renewed mask requirements in certain places like Los Angeles. Experts even recommend upgrading to N95 masks due to the rapid spread of delta.In response to the surge in demand, Monday saw an increase in vaccine mandates. To support COVID-19 vaccination mandates, more than 50 health care organizations joined the American Medical Association.The joint statement stated that "Due to the recent COVID-19 increase and the availability of safe, effective vaccines, health care organizations and societies advocate for all health care employers to require their workers to get the COVID-19 vaccination."For the safety of patients and colleagues, it is crucial that everyone in the healthcare workforce be vaccinated against COVID-19, Susan Bailey, the immediate past president of AMA, stated in a statement. We know that the vaccines work well in preventing severe illness or death from COVID-19. There have been more than 300,000,000 doses given in the United States, and almost 4 billion worldwide.The Department of Veterans Affairs announced Monday that it has made it mandatory that all of its frontline workers be vaccinated for COVID-19. This makes it the first federal agency to make this mandate. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday that all city employees will need to get vaccinated. In California, both state employees and healthcare workers must be vaccinated. Gavin Newsom announced.The San Francisco Bar Owner Alliance, which represents hundreds, also announced Monday that indoor customers will be required to show proof of vaccinations or a negative COVID-19 result within the last 72 hours.
