Forty-nine and a half percent of Arizona’s eligible population have received at least one dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, and 40% have been fully vaccinated. Arizona health experts are keeping an eye on Delta, the newest strain of the coronavirus causing COVID-19. (Photo by Travis Robertson / Cronkite News)
PHOENIX – First Lady Jill Biden and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff visited a vaccination clinic at Isaac Middle School on Wednesday to highlight the importance of protecting the community from COVID-19. </ "Your life and health are important to the president, the vice president, Doug, and me," said Biden. "I am here to ask all viewers on these television stations to choose to vaccinate because it is safe."
Your visit comes as health officials announced that 3.1 million Arizona nationals are fully vaccinated and 3 , 5 million have received at least one dose. Experts also said broader vaccinations could keep a new threat, the Delta variant, at bay. « The future is getting brighter and brighter, » said Emhoff. “This effort doesn’t end with the end of this bus tour. These efforts will continue, and we promise we will keep the news out, especially here in Arizona. «
Phoenix was her final stop on the National COVID-19 Vaccination Month bus tour.
With nearly half of the state’s eligible population receiving at least one dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, Arizona health experts are keeping an eye on Delta, the newest strain of the coronavirus causing COVID-19.
» I don’t want to panic here because I think we’re still fine, but it’s not gone yet, ”said Joshua LaBaer, executive director of the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University. « The virus is still there, people are still getting infected, and 500 people are in hospital for it today. »
Nearly 895,000 Arizonans have contracted COVID-19 and nearly 18,000 have died, according to the state health department. </ First discovered in India, Delta is known to be more transmissible than previous COVID-19 variants. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predict that Delta will soon become the dominant strain in the United States.
First Lady Jill Biden and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff visit a vaccination site at Isaac Middle School in Phoenix on June 30th . (Photo: Julia Sandor / Cronkite News)
« If Delta were to gain a foothold here (in Arizona), I expect it would become the dominant strain within the next two to three weeks, » said LaBaer. « This will definitely be a serious problem in counties with lower vaccination rates. »
Apache, Graham and Navajo counties have the lowest vaccination rates in the state at 16.9%, 27.3% and 29.5% of their respective populations .
At his press conference, LaBaer also said that the number of COVID-19 cases in Arizona was « much worse » than in Massachusetts, New York and California.
« We could certainly exceed 500 (new ) Reach cases per day, ”he said. “We can comfort ourselves that we are not doing as badly as in Florida or in southern Missouri. The combination of the Delta variant and a very low vaccination rate overwhelms the medical system in southern Missouri. ”
LaBaer emphasized that survival from COVID-19 may not offer the same level of protection as a vaccine.
« If you look at the serological data, there is some evidence that the immune response to the vaccine is much stronger than the immune response to the natural infection, » he said.
LaBaer said improving vaccination rates can ensure the Delta variant does not gain a foothold in the state.
« The punch line for all variants right now is that the vaccine protects against everyone, including Delta. For me, the big take-home is getting vaccinated. That is by far the best thing you can do to protect yourself against all variants. ”
Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix, spoke about the Delta variant next to Biden and Ehmoff at the Isaac School.
« Even if you think you might be immune, we still hope you will get this vaccine, » she said. « Especially with the Delta variant, which is here in Arizona, it makes sense, and we now want to do everything we can to put a stop to it. »
Rithwik Kalale is expected to receive a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication in May 2022 to lock. Kalale is attending Cronkite News this summer and has produced written, audio, and visual content for State Press and ASU Blaze Radio.
Jalpan Nanavati is an undergraduate student from India with a major in Journalism and Mass Communication with a minor in Film – and media production. In summer 2020 he was a journalist for Cronkite News, in summer 2021 he will return as a radio reporter. He has produced and directed short films and a full-length documentary.
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