WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Number of Covid deaths in the U.S. have doubled in the past two weeks. The country reported 908 deaths on Thursday, August 19, after reporting over 1,000 deaths for two days in a row. The total number of deaths have surpassed 625,894, while the average deaths have increased 108% from two weeks ago to 911, according to New York Times data.
The country reported about 138,472 new cases taking total number of cases to 37.38 million, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
Coronavirus-related deaths have increased sharply in the country over the past month as the Delta variant ravages the country. The 7-day average for Covid-19 cases was about 143,827 cases a day, an increase of 44% from two weeks ago. More than 90,000 coronavirus patients were in hospitals nationwide.
According to CDC's studies, the vaccine's protection against the disease is decreasing over time.
'The available data make very clear that protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection begins to decrease over time following the initial doses of vaccination, and in association with the dominance of the Delta variant, we are starting to see evidence of reduced protection against mild and moderate disease,' CDC said in a statement.
'Based on our latest assessment, the current protection against severe disease, hospitalization, and death could diminish in the months ahead, especially among those who are at higher risk or were vaccinated during the earlier phases of the vaccination rollout. For that reason, we conclude that a booster shot will be needed to maximize vaccine-induced protection and prolong its durability.'
The Biden administration on Wednesday had strongly recommended booster shots for Americans who received the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna coronavirus vaccines. Americans will be eligible to take a third dose eight months after receiving their second dose, starting September 20.
Meanwhile, the booster shots will be given after FDA conducts an independent evaluation and determination of the safety and effectiveness of a third dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
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