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 This rise in infections is alarming but not surprising given relaxed
restrictions used to curb virus transmission, PAHO Director Carissa
Etienne said at a weekly news conference, adding that vaccination
will not be enough to stop this wave of contagion.
"Highly transmissible variants are spreading, and social distancing
measures are not as strictly observed as before," Etienne said. "We
are not acting like a region in the midst of a worsening outbreak.".
More people have been infected with COVID-19 in the region during
the last seven days than during most weeks last year, Etienne noted,
while weekly deaths outnumber those of any week in 2020.
More than 1.3 million people in the Americas were infected and
nearly 36,000 died last week, PAHO said.
"There are simply not enough vaccines available to protect everyone
in the countries at greatest risk," Etienne said. "We need to stop
transmission by any means possible with the tools we have at hand."
It will be a few weeks before vaccine supplies normalize, Etienne
said, adding that countries should continue to administer
AstraZeneca's vaccine as adverse effects are very rare.
Leaders at every level can play a crucial role by tightening
measures at the first sign of mounting infections, she said.
[to top of second column] |
 "We've noted an obvious
relaxation in the implementation of public
health measures," said COVID-19 incident manager
Sylvain Aldighieri. Regardless of virus variant,
COVID-19 has the capacity to overwhelm health
systems, he said.
Countries with significant case increases should
consider lockdown measures, though if outbreaks
are already visible it may be too late, PAHO
health emergencies director Ciro Ugarte said.
"It's clearly necessary to consider these
measures," Ugarte said, adding that such
measures should be localized and of very limited
duration.
If COVID-19 is not controlled across the world,
there exists a worst-case scenario where a new
vaccine-resistant variant emerges, said PAHO
sub-director Jarbas Barbosa.
(Reporting by Julia Symmes CobbEditing by Bill
Berkrot)
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