COVID-19 variant on the rise could cause outbreaks in states with low vaccination rates, expert says

restrictions continue being lifted across the United States is more cities and states start fully reopening on Fridays, Chicago's mayor announced the Windy city has dropped pandemic era regulations, No more mask mandate or social distancing requirements, even offering some free tickets to its famed Lollapalooza music Festival, to vaccinated fans. Now it's time for you to get up, get out of the house this summer and fully and safely and enjoy the events of the best city on the planet. Our beloved city of Chicago This week. Other major cities like Seattle and Denver across the Biden administration's goal of having 70% of the adult population vaccinated with at least one dose. By four July new york state on the cusp of reaching that goal, it's a threshold to states, Governor Andrew cuomo has said, will trigger the end to all of the state's covid 19 restrictions. New Yorkers can also plan on the return of the famed Macy's fireworks for Independence Day, according to new york mayor Bill de Blasio. But vaccination rates in certain states remained relatively low, including in states like Alabama Louisiana Mississippi Tennessee and Wyoming. While adults and Children over 12 continue receiving vaccines across the United States, nearly 62% of that population has at least one dose. So far, Experts are split on how urgently Children under the age of 12 should receive their vaccine. They are still at risk of hospitalization and they are still at risk of having adverse side effects. Kids have been isolated for a large proportion of time, but as school starts back in the fall and they're in classrooms, their in group activities in school sports, it's going to get colder so people are going to start moving inside. Their risk is going to increase if they're not vaccinated. Another concern among experts, the mental health of adolescents during the pandemic emergency room visits for suicide attempts rose an alarming 51% among teenage girls during the pandemic. That's according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, released on Friday, but they remain signs of optimism in the global fight against the pandemic. The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the use of two batches of the johnson and johnson vaccine that were produced at a troubled Baltimore lab, concluding they are safe to use polo sandoval CNN new york.

The Delta variant is quickly on its way to becoming the dominant strain of coronavirus in the U.S., raising concerns that outbreaks could hit vulnerable communities come fall.Currently 10% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. can be attributed to the variant, also called the B.1.617.2 variant, but that proportion is doubling every two weeks, said Scott Gottlieb, a former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, said in a CBS interview Sunday.He added that it probably will become the dominant strain in the U.S.That may not mean a sharp uptick in infections across the country, which has administered more than 309 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, but specific regions are at risk, he said."I think in parts of the country where you have less vaccination — particularly in parts of the South, where you have some cities where vaccination rates are low — there's a risk that you could see outbreaks with this new variant," Gottlieb said.Nationally, 64.4% of adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, but some states are seeing significantly lower rates. Less than half of adults living in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Wyoming have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.For states lagging in vaccinations, the Delta variant could pose serious risk since experts believe the Delta variant is significantly more transmissible than its predecessors, Gottlieb said. The good news is that evidence shows vaccines are still effective against it."We have the tools to control this and defeat it, we just need to use those tools," Gottlieb said.Heart inflammation in young people could be due to behavior, expert saysThere has been a higher-than-expected number of cases of a heart ailment among young people, most often males, who've recently received their second doses of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, according to the CDC.Gottlieb said the inflammation could be due to behavior change."It could be the case that as young people get vaccinated, they're going out more. They're exchanging other viruses. We're seeing outbreaks of those viruses, and we know those viruses also cause pericarditis," Gottlieb said in a CBS interview. Gottlieb cited respiratory syncytial virus, enterovirus, echoviruses and coxsackie viruses."It's not clear that it's the vaccine or perhaps a change in behavior, but it's certainly something we should be looking closely at, because we have to properly inform patients, if in fact this is a risk," he added.Gottlieb said he doesn't think the cases of heart inflammation change the risk-benefit balance for the COVID-19 vaccine.Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are set to meet this week to discuss a possible link between the vaccines and the inflammatory conditions.The CDC noted last week that the inflammatory condition is rare, and most patients who received care responded to treatment.Airline disturbances connected to mask mandatesWith vaccinations on the rise, many Americans have begun returning to some of their normal activities — but not all of the transitions back have been going smoothly.When an off-duty flight attendant commandeered the intercom on a Delta Air Lines flight Friday, it was one of many recent incidents of unruly behavior on flights. These incidents have been picking up since more people have begun traveling in the wake of lifting restrictions.The Federal Aviation Administration has received 2,900 reports of unruly behavior this year, about 2,200 of which were related to mask violations, a spokesperson for the agency said.The U.S. Travel Association estimates that 77% of Americans will take at least one trip this summer up from 29% last summer in the midst of COVID-19 lock downs. And for air travel, there will likely be a 44% increase."People have been wanting to get out. They have been told this mask issue is a political decision rather than a public health necessity," international president of the Association of Flight Attendants Sara Nelson told CNN. "It is causing incredible conflict because people have been set up to believe they are at odds with each other."

is quickly on its way to becoming the dominant strain of coronavirus in the U.S., raising concerns that outbreaks could hit vulnerable communities come fall.

Currently 10% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. can be attributed to, also called the B.1.617.2 variant, but that proportion is doubling every two weeks, said Scott Gottlieb, a former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, said in a CBS interview Sunday.

He added that it probably will become the dominant strain in the U.S.

That may not mean a sharp uptick in infections across the country, which has administered more than 309 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, but specific regions are at risk, he said.

"I think in parts of the country where you have less vaccination — particularly in parts of the South, where you have some cities where vaccination rates are low — there's a risk that you could see outbreaks with this new variant," Gottlieb said.

Nationally, 64.4% of adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, but some states are seeing significantly lower rates. living in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Wyoming have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, according to

For states lagging in vaccinations, the Delta variant could pose serious risk since experts believe the Delta variant is significantly more transmissible than its predecessors, Gottlieb said. The good news is that evidence shows vaccines are still effective against it.

"We have the tools to control this and defeat it, we just need to use those tools," Gottlieb said.

Heart inflammation in young people could be due to behavior, expert says

There has been a higher-than-expected number of cases of a heart ailment among young people, most often males, who've recently received their second doses of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, according to the CDC.

Gottlieb said the inflammation could be due to behavior change.

"It could be the case that as young people get vaccinated, they're going out more. They're exchanging other viruses. We're seeing outbreaks of those viruses, and we know those viruses also cause pericarditis," Gottlieb said in a CBS interview. Gottlieb cited respiratory syncytial virus, enterovirus, echoviruses and coxsackie viruses.

"It's not clear that it's the vaccine or perhaps a change in behavior, but it's certainly something we should be looking closely at, because we have to properly inform patients, if in fact this is a risk," he added.

Gottlieb said he doesn't think the cases of heart inflammation change the risk-benefit balance for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are set to meet this week to discuss a possible link between the vaccines and the inflammatory conditions.

The CDC noted last week that the inflammatory condition is rare, and most patients who received care responded to treatment.

Airline disturbances connected to mask mandates

With vaccinations on the rise, many Americans have begun returning to some of their normal activities — but not all of the transitions back have been going smoothly.

When an off-duty flight attendant commandeered the intercom on a Delta Air Lines flight Friday, it was one of many recent incidents of unruly behavior on flights. These incidents have been picking up since more people have begun traveling in the wake of lifting restrictions.

The Federal Aviation Administration has received 2,900 reports of unruly behavior this year, about 2,200 of which were related to mask violations, a spokesperson for the agency said.

The U.S. Travel Association estimates that 77% of Americans will take at least one trip this summer up from 29% last summer in the midst of COVID-19 lock downs. And for air travel, there will likely be a 44% increase.

"People have been wanting to get out. They have been told this mask issue is a political decision rather than a public health necessity," international president of the Association of Flight Attendants Sara Nelson told CNN. "It is causing incredible conflict because people have been set up to believe they are at odds with each other."

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