The highly contagious Delta variant continues to drive surges in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths, while experts said it may be time for much of the country to put masks back on.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is considering revising its COVID-19 guidelines to recommend that even fully vaccinated people wear masks in public, said Anthony Fauci, White House chief medical advisor, on Sunday.
Fauci told CNN that he has taken part in conversations about altering the guidelines, something he described as being "under active consideration."
He noted that some local areas where infection rates are surging are already urging individuals to wear masks in public regardless of their vaccination status.
Los Angeles County reinstated a mask mandate starting on July 17, requiring masking indoors regardless of vaccination status. U.S. surgeon general Vivek Murthy said other areas may have to follow.
COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations in the United States rise again recently, after having been eased for several months. The surges especially focused among the unvaccinated population.
"COVID-19 cases are on the rise in nearly 90 percent of U.S. jurisdictions, and we are seeing outbreaks in parts of the country that have low vaccination coverage," said a latest CDC weekly report.
As of July 22, 35 percent of U.S. counties were experiencing high levels of community transmission, according to the CDC.
Health experts blamed the recent surges on the low vaccination rates and the accelerating Delta variant transmission.
The increase in the number of cases will put more strain on healthcare resources and could lead to more hospitalizations and deaths.
The surge in COVID-19 cases also creates more opportunities for the virus to mutate, which could lead to the emergence of new variants, experts have warned.
