The COVID-19 pandemic continues to hit the US hard. The country is dealing with a surge of infections caused by the Delta variant, and the overall data looks even more terrifying. The US has reported a total of over 651,000 deaths caused by the coronavirus ever since the pandemic disease arrived in the country, according to worldometers.info.
However, the horror could be far from over. Abc NEWS writes that about 100,000 more deaths caused by COVID could occur in the hardest-hit country by the ongoing pandemic until December 1st. More precisely, the terrible estimation is brought by the United States’ most closely watched forecasting model.
Everyone should wear masks in public spaces
Experts say that the supposed death toll can be cut in half through a simple method: if everybody will wear a mask in public spaces.
Ali Mokdad, who is a professor of health metrics sciences from the University of Washington in Seattle, confirms it by saying, as quoted by abcnews.go.com:
We can save 50,000 lives simply by wearing masks. That’s how important behaviors are.
Lauren Ancel Meyers, who is the director of the University of Texas COVID-19 Modeling Consortium, declared as quoted by abcnews.go.com:
Behavior is really going to determine if, when and how sustainably the current wave subsides,
We cannot stop delta in its tracks, but we can change our behavior overnight.
That implies limiting social encounters, staying at home when sick, wearing masks, and getting a vaccine.
Those things are within our control, Meyers added.
As officials are strongly relying on COVID vaccines, the FDA recently granted full approval for the use of Pfizer’s jab in the US. This move is expected to make many people turn away from their skepticism regarding vaccination for the coronavirus. However, only time will tell for sure.
