Despite vaccines being available since January 2021, the USA STILL leads the World in COVID-19 Cases and Deaths

UNITED STATES NEW CASES Today: 210,168 (8/17/2021)

“Since July 1, there has been a 700% increase in the week-over-week average of COVID-19 infections in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” John Hopkins

“Child Covid-19 cases are steadily increasing. But with schools opening, expert warns this is just the beginning. With the more transmissible Delta variant accounting now for nearly 99% of cases in the US, the situation is growing particularly dangerous for children, experts said.They have advocated for children to wear masks in school, but some governors have attempted to ban such requirements.” CNN

"Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who opposes vaccine and mask mandates, tests positive for COVID-19. The Texas Republican, who has signed legislation banning vaccine and mask mandates in his state, gave what he described as a “standing room only event in Collin County” Monday night. Photos of the event show few people wearing masks at the indoor gathering. Like former President Donald Trump, Abbott was receiving a monoclonal antibody treatment, the statement from his office said. Abbott had reportedly told others that he had received a booster shot," NBC News


"Mostly unmasked crowds packed into the Missouri State Fair shoulder-to-shoulder this week as it opened in Sedalia amid soaring numbers of new COVID-19 infections. “We’re not seeing any kind of slowdown in attendance and are expecting an average to good year,” said State Fair Director Mark Wolfe, adding that his staff estimate up to 340,000 people will attend the event before it closes Aug. 22." Read more here: https://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/article253493334.html#storylink=cpy


Aug. 17, 2021 “Kansas tied Missouri, Nevada, Arkansas and Louisiana for states with the highest death rate.” WIBW News

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There is a lot more US COVID news for this day, but it's all just too depressing for me to want to repeat... What is happening today didn't have to happen in the USA. Meanwhile, we live in a very low vaccination rate (30.2%), high COVID spread area that has no mask mandates. Life is stressful.