áá
áá >>> WITH MOST COVID RESTRICTIONS
LIFTED HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, HOPES ARE JUSTIFIABLY
HIGH FOR A BIG SUMMER AND A RETURN TO NORMAL LIFE IN THE
FALL. PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS ARE
KEEPING A CLOSE EYE, THOUGH, ON THE SO-CALLED DELTA VARIANT
DECLARED ON FRIDAY BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION'S CHIEF
SCIENTIST TO BE THE DOMINANT STRAIN OF COVID-19 NOW.
THE HEAD OF THE CDC HERE IN THE U.S. AGREES, BUT POINTS TO THE
SUCCESS OF VACCINES IN STOPPING THE VARIANT AND THE NEED FOR
MORE AMERICANS STILL TO GET THE SHOT.
SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT DR. JOHN TORRES HAS MORE IN OUR
SUNDAY FOCUS. ARE STARTING TO BECOME COMMON AGAIN.
>> FULL CAPACITY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWO YEARS.
>> AMUSEMENT PARKS NOW PACKED, RESTAURANTS FULL, AND TO KICK
OFF THE CITY CONCERT áá
áá >> IN FRONT OF A FULLY
VACCINATED AUDIENCE. >> I HAVEN'T SEEN A REAL HUMAN
PERSON FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS. >> LIFE IS STARTING TO GET BACK
TO NORMAL WITH CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK FORMERLY THE EPICENTERS
OF THE VIRUS FULLY REOPENING THIS WEEK?
CALIFORNIA IS COMING ROARING BACK.
>> THIS IS A MOMENTOUS DAY, AND WE DESERVE IT.
>> BUT IT'S NOT ALL SMOOTH SAILING AHEAD.
A COVID STRAIN FIRST SEEN IN INDIA CALLED THE DELTA VARIANT,
COULD SOON BECOME THE DOMINANT STRAIN IN THE U.S.
>> IT IS MORE TRANSMISSIBLE AND POSSIBLY MORE DANGEROUS IN TERMS
OF CAUSING SEVERE DISEASE. >> THE SAME VARIANT IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SURGE OF CORONAVIRUS CASES IN THE UNITED
KINGDOM THAT HAS THE GOVERNMENT PUMPING THE BRAKES ON ITS PLAN
TO RE-OPEN. >> UK IS HAVING A BIG ISSUE WITH
THE DELTA VARIANT RIGHT NOW. IS THAT A PRECURSOR TO WHAT
COULD HAPPEN HERE OR IS THAT A DIFFERENT SITUATION?
>> THE ONE THING THIS PANDEMIC HAS TAUGHT US IS THAT WE ARE A
GLOBAL COMMUNITY. SO WHATEVER WE SEE IN OTHER
PARTS OF THE WORLD WE HAVE TO BE VERY AWARE.
>> THE KEY TO STOPPING COVID AND ALL ITS VARIANTS, VACCINATIONS.
65% OF AMERICANS HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE SHOT, BUT STATES IN
THE SOUTH LAGGED BEHIND. IN MISSISSIPPI ONLY 30% OF THE
POPULATION IS FULLY VACCINATED. >> THE LOW VACCINATION RATES IN
SOME COMMUNITIES IS AN EVEN BIGGER CONCERN NOW THAT WE FACE
THE THREAT OF A NEW, MORE DANGEROUS VARIANT.
>> IN THE SHOW-ME STATE WHERE ONLY 37% OF MISSOURIANS HAVE HAD
VACCINES AND THE DELTA VARIANT WAS DETECTED IN THE WASTE WATER
IN THE SECOND WEEKEND OF MAY. >> IT SPREAD VERY QUICKLY
THROUGH THE STATE. >> IT IS TESTING WASTE WATER TO
TRACK DOWN THE SOURCE. >> WE WENT FROM ABOUT 14
PATIENTS INHOUSE TO 73 COVID-POSITIVE PATIENTS IN LESS
THAN A MONTH. IT APPEARS TO BE THE DELTA
VARIANT. >> PULL YOUR SLEEVE UP FOR US.
>> Reporter: PRESIDENT BIDEN SET A GOAL OF GETTING 70% OF
AMERICANS VACCINATED BY JULY 4th, A MARK THAT MAY BE TOUGH TO
REACH, BUT THE PRESIDENT REMAINS CONFIDENT.
>> WE WILL CELEBRATE OUR INDEPENDENCE FROM THE VIRUS AS
WE CELEBRATE OUR INDEPENDENCE OF OUR NATION.
>> AND THE U.S. HAS VOWED TO SHARE 580 MILLION DOSES OF THE
VACCINE WITH LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES TO HELP FIGHT COVID
ACROSS THE GLOBE BECAUSE EXPERTS WARN THIS PANDEMIC WILL TRULY
NEVER BE OVER UNTIL THE WHOLE WORLD IS VACCINATED.
>> AND DR. TORRES JOINS ME NOW LIVE.
>> GOOD MORNING. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
LET'S BOTTOM LINE THIS FOR OUR VIEWERS.
THE DELTA VARIANT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM IN THE UK AND INDIA.
HOW CONCERNED SHOULD WE BE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES?
>> AND WILLIE, YOU'RE RIGHT. THE BOTTOM LINE AND THE OVERALL
MESSAGE IS IF YOU'RE FULLY VACCINATED YOU NEED TO BE AWARE
ABOUT THIS VIRUS, BUT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO BE CONCERNED
ABOUT IT BECAUSE YOU ARE PROTECTED FROM THE DELTA VARIANT
JUST LIKE THE OTHER VARIANTS. HOWEVER, IF YOU'RE NOT FULLY
VACCINATED, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE UNVACCINATED YOU DEFINITELY NEED
TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE VIRUS BECAUSE THE AFFECTING PEOPLE AND
IT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE DOMINANT IN THE U.S. AND IT IS
SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW CAN CAUSE AN ISSUE GOING FORWARD.
AN ISSUE GOING FORWARD. THE BOTTOM LINE MESSAGE, GET