American South May Be Poised for Steep Growth in COVID-19 Cases

While other regions in the United States—such as the Northeast—have reached the goal of vaccinating 70% of eligible adults with at least one dose, the American South is struggling with low COVID-19 vaccination rates. These low immunization percentages may result in a surge of COVID-19 cases just as the rest of the nation begins to take a collective sigh of relief after a year of lockdowns and quarantines. According to data collected by the New York Times, the following states report fewer than 50% of its residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine: Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wyoming; 67% are located in the South. However, public health experts suggest that a sudden rise in cases among Southern states will not be as devastating as last year’s outbreak due to the fact that some residents have been vaccinated and the development of more effective treatments. Click here to read more.