The director of the CDC says COVID could become a seasonal virus, operating in waves similar to the flu. Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky explained this in a recent interview with NBC.
What to Know
- Walensky anticipates the virus will become more seasonal
- The US is currently averaging 49,569 new COVID-19 cases per day
- The amount of new COVID Cases has decreased over the past two weeks in the US
- The rate of COVID deaths in the US has also decreased
- When it comes to masks, the CDC Director says “anticipate you might need them again. Hope that you don’t”
The CDC Director’s Notion of a ‘Flu like’ Seasonality of COVID is Backed by Others
It appears that multiple other scientists and experts in the medical field agree with that statement. We’ve already seen the virus come and go in waves, and the fall and winter seasons really tend to bring out the seasonal bugs.
Of course, that’s where the comparison stops. COVID-19 and the Flu are still very different and have very different consequences.
“I do anticipate that this is probably going to be a seasonal virus,” she said.
According to an NBC analysis, this is a decrease of over 54% in the past two weeks in the United States. So it’s good news. The rate of deaths from COVID-19 is also falling.
Unfortunately, there’s good news and bad news: While the CDC says the infection rate is decreasing, the window to make COVID-19 go away continues to get smaller. It’ll likely simmer at low levels then make a rise during the winter months.
CDC Director of the Center for Preparedness and Response explained this further, and when we’ll know more information about what the future holds.
“This virus will probably continue to circulate in our society, in our country, around the world for years to come,” he said “This next six months, the next year, will really inform us in terms of what living with this virus is going to look like.”
Additionally, he hopes the most recent surge of COVID will be “the last real large surge from SARS-CoV-2.”
So, What About Masks?
The CDC says that 90% of Americans can also take off their masks as of now, but should also anticipate putting them back on should there be another surge.
“I would say, put your masks in a drawer, anticipate you may need them again and hope that we don’t.”
Per these new CDC guidelines, many states have been lifting their COVID-19 related restrictions over the past couple of weeks.
And just like COVID-19, masks could also become more seasonal.
“We may want to be more vigilant during some seasons,” Walensky noted. “Maybe during respiratory season, if things ramped up, we would want to put on our masks again to protect both from flu and from COVID-19 and from all other respiratory diseases.”
