More than a year and a half into the pandemic, COVID-19 cases are once again surging. The highly infectious Delta variant has led to spikes in new cases across the country. Over the past two weeks the nationwide rate of COVID deaths per day almost doubled. And the confirmed total number of deaths is more than 614,000 Americans.
Last week, considering new data on the more contagious Delta variant, the CDC issued new guidance, including for vaccinated individuals, to resume indoor mask use in areas of substantial or high transmission. Perhaps most controversially with only a few weeks before schools resume, the CDC recommended, “universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status.”
To put it mildly, this is not where most Americans hoped we would be in the second half of 2021
Although 70% of adults have had at least one vaccination (a month past Biden’s targeted goal), the reluctance of a significant number of Americans to be vaccinated has shifted the conversation from encouraging to mandating. Starting in mid-September, NYC will require proof of at least one vaccination for employees and customers for indoor dining and a host of other activities.
And several large private businesses such as Microsoft, Google, Netflix, and Salesforce are going to be requiring vaccinations to return to work. CNN announced that it has already fired 3 employees for returning without vaccinations.
At the same time, conservative Governors such as Greg Abbott in Texas and Ron DeSantis in Florida are taking the opposite approach, banning their states from imposing similar restrictions.
Once again are we seeing two Americas, the masked vs unmasked, vaccinated vs unvaccinated? And will the surge in cases shift those opinions at all?
Tom Bevan co-founder and president, Carl Cannon Washington Bureau Chief, and Sean Trende, Senior Elections Analyst join guest host John Sorensen to discuss pandemic fatigue, mandating vaccinations and much more on this week's Friday podcast.