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UK COVID Cases Are Rising. Health Officials Are Watching To See If The US Is Next
A Delta Air Lines plane lands near a COVID-19 testing sign at LAX on Aug. 25, 2021.
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Mario Tama
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Getty Images
)
U.S. health officials are watching the climb in COVID case numbers in the U.K. with concern. Daily case counts there have more than doubled, and hospitalizations are on the upswing.
"Over the last year or so, what happens in the U.K. usually happens here a few weeks later," Dr. Anthony Fauci, the President's chief medical advisor said in an interview with NPR. "And right now, the U.K. is seeing somewhat of a rebound in cases."
Officials in the U.K. attribute the increase to the quick-spreading BA.2 omicron subvariant, the widespread removal of COVID restrictions, and to waning immunity from vaccinations and infections.
"All three of those factors we have here in the United States," says Fauci, "So I would not be surprised if in the next few weeks we see either a plateauing...of cases or even [the curve] rebounds and slightly goes up. That is entirely conceivable. And we're just going to have to follow it carefully."
The CDC's COVID tracker shows that daily cases have dropped to their lowest levels since July 2021 – but the rate of decline in cases has slowed significantly and may be on track to level off.
U.S. health officials are watching the climb in COVID case numbers in the U.K. with concern. Daily case counts there have more than doubled, and hospitalizations are on the upswing.
"Over the last year or so, what happens in the U.K. usually happens here a few weeks later," Dr. Anthony Fauci, the President's chief medical advisor said in an interview with NPR. "And right now, the U.K. is seeing somewhat of a rebound in cases."
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Officials in the U.K. attribute the increase to the quick-spreading BA.2 omicron subvariant, the widespread removal of COVID restrictions, and to waning immunity from vaccinations and infections.
"All three of those factors we have here in the United States," says Fauci, "So I would not be surprised if in the next few weeks we see either a plateauing...of cases or even [the curve] rebounds and slightly goes up. That is entirely conceivable. And we're just going to have to follow it carefully."
The CDC's COVID tracker shows that daily cases have dropped to their lowest levels since July 2021 – but the rate of decline in cases has slowed significantly and may be on track to level off.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit npr.org.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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