New Jersey leads the nation in
COVID-19 infection rates, with new
positive cases increasing by 37% in a little more than a month.
Gov. Phil Murphy says there could be a few reasons for the increase: population
density, weather not being warm enough, variants, and people who have just had
enough.
Concerns are growing that people are becoming "pandemic
frustrated" and growing tired of keeping up with the virus and letting up
on precautions.
The director of the CDC, Dr.
Rochelle Walensky, is urging people to continue following guidelines, as she says she fears
"an impending doom."
"We have so much to look forward to, so much promise and potential
of where we are and so much reason for hope, but right now, I'm scared,” says
Dr. Walensky. “I'm speaking today not necessarily as your CDC director, not
only as your CDC director, but as a wife, as a mother, as a daughter, to ask
you to just please hold on a little while longer. I so badly want to be done. I
know you all so badly want to be done. We are just almost there, but not quite
yet."
According to recent data from Johns Hopkins University, at least 550,000 people
in the U.S. have died of COVID-19 since start of the pandemic.
More Americans are now getting vaccinated. The CDC reports 29% of the people in
the country have at least one vaccination dose.
The CDC director will be meeting with governors from around the country later
today to discuss current restrictions and reopening.