As downward trend in COVID-19 cases stalls, CDC calls situation tenuous

"Things are tenuous," U.S. CDC says as downward trend in COVID-19 cases stalls The head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday that a recent decline in COVID-19 cases may be stalling, a development she described as concerning while urging that safeguards to fight the virus remain in place. Jeff Mason, Carl O’Donnell U.S.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday that a recent decline in COVID-19 cases may be stalling, a development she described as concerning while urging that safeguards to fight the virus remain in place.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky told reporters the number of cases had been increasing for the past three days compared to the prior week and that declines in hospitalizations and deaths were also “potentially leveling off at still a very high number.”

Walensky painted a critical picture of the current state of the pandemic.

“Things are tenuous. Now is not the time to relax restrictions. Cases, hospital admissions, and deaths all remain very high and the recent shift in the pandemic must be taken extremely seriously.”

States and cities have been gradually lifting restrictions in recent weeks. New York City reopened indoor dining earlier this month and Massachusetts plans to remove limits on restaurant capacity starting in March. Montana and Iowa lifted statewide mask requirements earlier this month, while North Dakota’s mask mandate expired in January.

The White House urged companies on Friday to join efforts to help fight the pandemic by requiring mask-wearing by employees and educating customers.

Andy Slavitt, a senior adviser on the White House’s COVID-19 response team, listed a number of companies that were taking measures to help with the pandemic fight and urged more to join.

He announced what he described as a new partnership between the Biden administration and leading business organizations to spur the private sector to encourage companies to require masks and social distancing to protect employees and customers, make it easier for employees to get vaccinated with incentives, and educate the public about the benefits of masks and vaccines.

“We are asking businesses to amplify CDC messages about masking and vaccinations on their products, properties and web sites,” Slavitt said. ...