Vaccinatation efforts may continue for years as Covid-19 variants circle the globe, expert says

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Tue, 2021-06-15 15:23 — mike kraft

Efforts to vaccinate the US may continue for years as Covid-19 variants circle the globe, expert says Covid-19 infections may be on the decline, but the urgency to continue vaccinating the US population is far from over, one expert said. Madeline Holcombe, CNN CNN

(CNN)Covid-19 infections may be on the decline, but the urgency to continue vaccinating the US population is far from over, one expert said.

"We are going to need to have a highly vaccinated population for years if not longer. This virus is going to be circulating in the world for a long time," said Dr. Paul Offit, a member of the US Food and Drug Administration's Vaccine Advisory Committee.

As the virus spread across the globe, it mutated into more transmissible strains -- including the Alpha and Delta variants. Though vaccines are shown to be effective against these variants, experts warn it is crucial to get ahead of them with widespread immunization.

If the virus continues to spread, it has an increased chance of spawning variants that are even more contagious, Offit said.

"When a virus is more contagious, you need to have a higher percentage of the population that is protected, immunized, if you're going to stop the spread," he added.

As of Monday, 52.5% of Americans had received at least one dose of vaccine, but only 43.7% were fully vaccinated, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Offit said by the winter, when the virus is likely to surge again, the US will need to get the number of fully vaccinated up to 80% or higher to protect the population.

The good news, Offit said, is that although the spread of more contagious variants may be less inhibited by vaccines, the level of protection still appears to be high.

"I think that vaccines will keep you out of the hospital, will keep you out of the ICU, and will keep you from dying," Offit said. ...

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