More than 1,044,000 Americans have lost their lives due to COVID-19 since the beginning of the healthcare crisis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, with new prevention methods, vaccines, and treatments widely available in the US and abroad, people have managed to finally return to normal in 2022. Despite the fact that lockdowns seem improbable in the near future—especially since other social distancing measures have also been lifted throughout the country—COVID-19 remains a threat. In fact, health officials are expecting a new COVID wave to hit the US this fall.
According to Dr. Ashish Jha, White House COVID response coordinator, Americans are now in a much better place, and this potential surge will find them more prepared to face the virus.“We are in a better place because people have gotten vaccinated and boosted. We’ve got treatments that are widely available,” he explained. But will current vaccines and treatments be enough to protect Americans this fall?
This and other important questions made epidemiologists like Ali Mokdad (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington) warn that a rise in COVID-19 cases is probable—along with increased hospital admission and mortality rates.
The good news, however, is that this new wave will probably cause fewer deaths and hospital admissions than the previous ones due to the majority of Americans being vaccinated or previously infected.
China Locks Down Millions
Unlike the US and most Western countries, which have successfully managed to lift lockdowns and other social-distancing measures, countries like China are still struggling to overcome the pandemic and help their citizens return to normal. According to USA Today, China’s authorities recently imposed a new lockdown in the southwestern city of Chengdu after a huge rise in COVID-19 cases. China, a country with more than 1.4 billion people, seems to rely on lockdowns to enforce its “zero COVID” policy. However, the country’s drastic measures have already impacted its economy, and the recent lockdown also postponed the opening of its schools.
In stark contrast to China, Denmark is expected to go through the coming cold season with no COVID restrictions, although they are also facing a potential rise in cases according to the country’s Health Minister, Magnus Heunicke. Denmark predicts that they will manage to avoid lockdown measures because they provide citizens with better booster vaccines and improved tracking methods—such as waste-water testing. Moreover, their population also enjoys greater immunity as a result of a successful vaccination campaign.“We are well prepared. The strategy and goal is a completely open society this coming winter,” Heunicke said.
Although the number of COVID-19 cases is expected to rise in numerous countries around the world, the holiday season could look very different for citizens. While some countries still rely heavily on lockdowns and social distancing measures, others opt for better vaccines and treatments.
How the Pandemic Is Expected to Progress
For countries like Denmark and the US, new booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine could quickly become important tools in preventing the spread of infection and the subsequent surges in hospital admissions and deaths. Denmark will soon receive more than 4 million doses of boosters designed to protect its people against the Omicron variant, and the first batches are expected to arrive this month.
Likewise, the US will soon provide updated COVID-19 booster vaccines to anyone 12 and older, which targets the newer BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron variants. According to CDC and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) experts, these new shots will provide more protection against severe illness, and also prevent infection for some time.
Maybe even more important is the fact that vaccines and boosters are thought to also prevent, or at least ease, long COVID—a condition that includes several symptoms that can last weeks, months, or even years after the initial infection. People who experience long COVID usually report symptoms like tiredness, exhaustion after minor physical or mental exertion or “post-exertional malaise”, fever, respiratory and heart symptoms like chest pain and palpitations, or neurological symptoms like “brain fog” and headaches, among other symptoms. According to the CDC, vaccines and boosters can now prevent COVID-19 infection—including the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron strains.
As the weather turns colder, the number of COVID cases will probably rise in the US and abroad. However, countries could adopt different approaches to prevent and treat the disease. The US seems to put science and technology first as it aims to avoid new lockdowns.