The United States is seeing a second summer of rising COVID cases, though this year’s surge–and accompanying COVID-related deaths and hospitalizations–are largely avoidable. The US is in a near unheard of position compared to its global peers. Americans have an abundance of safe and highly effective vaccines available on an on-demand basis (and free of cost!). But there remains a significantly large, entrenched portion of the population that is refusing to get vaccinated.
As I laid out in early June, the result is resurgence of disease across the country. COVID’s Delta variant is ripping through America’s unvaccinated population, albeit unequally. America’s larger cities and West and East coasts–the country’s most economically dynamic regions–boast higher vaccination rates. The more rural, conservative portions of the country (vaccination refusal bears a strong correlation with political identification) face a more uphill slog this summer. The result? America is likely to experience a parallel COVID crisis and economic recovery.
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