CDC Director Robert Redfield warned the US is approaching what could be the worst drop in public health history if people don’t follow guidelines for slowing the spread of the coronavirus

The US is approaching what could be the worst drop in public health history if people don’t follow guidelines for slowing the spread of the coronavirus, the CDC has warned.

CDC Director Robert Redfield issued the warning on Wednesday when the US reported 55,910 new cases and 1,499 deaths – the highest number of fatalities in one day since May.

More than 166,000 Americans have now died from COVID-19, and the average number of deaths has remained at just over 1,000 per day for two weeks.

The number of cases, which has now exceeded 5.2 million, has declined nationwide for three consecutive weeks, and the average daily number of infections remains stable at around 52,000.

As fall approaches, the CDC is leading pleas for the public to remain vigilant in preventing the spread of the virus by wearing masks, keeping social distance and staying smart in meetings.

Redfield said if the CDC guidelines are not followed, it could be “ the worst fall we’ve ever had from a public health standpoint, ” as the coronavirus pandemic is exacerbated by the flu season.

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Redfield’s warning came as the US reported 1,499 new deaths on Wednesday – the highest number of fatalities in one day since mid-May

Nationally, 55,910 new coronavirus cases were reported on Wednesday

“ For your country right now and for the war we are waging against Covid, I ask you to do four simple things: wear a mask, socialize, wash your hands and be smart with crowds, ” Redfield said in an interview. with WebMD.

‘I’m not asking any part of America to do it. We should all do it, ”he added, stressing that the guidelines are only effective if between 95 and 99 percent of people adhere to them.

Asked what he thinks the pandemic will look like by Thanksgiving, Redfield quoted the opening line of Charles Dickens’ 1859 novel A Tale of Two Cities.

“It depends on how the American people choose to respond,” he said. It’s really the worst or the best of times, depending on the American audience. I am optimistic. ‘

Redfield said it will be more important than ever this year for people to get the flu vaccine to avoid overwhelming hospital systems that are already full of coronavirus patients.

If there’s one thing we can all do to prepare for fall, [it is] to get the flu vaccine, ”he said.

‘Getting vaccinated can help protect your children. If we look at the deaths we see from influenza, one thing is certain. In principle, the children who are vaccinated are protected from death. ‘

He noted that only 47 percent of the U.S. population opted for a flu vaccine last year, and said the CDC is hopeful that that percentage will be at least 65 percent this year.

The CDC has already bought 10 million doses of the flu vaccine for uninsured adults this year, compared to the typical 500,000 doses.

Redfield said he is “ very cautiously optimistic ” that one or more coronavirus vaccines will be available in early 2021.

There are currently 270 vaccine trials underway, and Redfield said six of those candidates are “progressing very rapidly.”

He said three vaccines entered phase three clinical trials two weeks ago and a fourth will enter the final phase of the trials shortly.

“No one can predict scientific success, but we think from a scientific threshold: developing a COVID vaccine is not as complex as an HIV vaccine,” he said.

“I am very optimistic that we will have one or more vaccines available.”

National health officials are currently trying to quash rampant anti-vaxxer conspiracy theories about upcoming coronavirus vaccines.

Some of the most popular theories include that the vaccines are part of a CIA plan to take over the world, that they will be used to insert tracking devices into humans, and that they were developed using monkey brains.

A CNN poll May found that a third of Americans said they would not be vaccinated against COVID-19, even if the vaccine is readily available everywhere.

Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, told the outlet he was surprised by those findings.

“Speaking for myself, I think I’ve underestimated the level of public resistance,” said Collins. “I didn’t expect it to be so widespread.”

“We’re lagging behind,” added Collins. ‘We didn’t do well to [coronavirus vaccine] information out there. ‘

In his interview with WebMD, Redfield emphasized that there is still a lot to learn about the new coronavirus.

He said what has surprised experts the most is how contagious the virus is compared to previous coronaviruses such as SARS and MERS, which don’t spread as quickly between humans.

Another key difference is the fact that many infected individuals don’t show symptoms – that’s why it’s critical that everyone does their part and follows CDC guidelines.

Universal adherence to those guidelines has proved challenging, as the Trump administration has sought to undermine the CDC’s authority and refused to put in place federal mandates for measures such as facial covering.

As a result, many states have seen an increase in the number of cases and deaths in the past two months.

While cases are finally starting to decline across the country, deaths are on the rise as the total number of fatalities rose by nearly 1,500 on Wednesday, after an increase from 1,300 on Tuesday.

Nationwide, new cases are finally starting to decline after a big surge in July

The daily death toll rose by nearly 1,500 on Wednesday, the largest single-day peak since May

The increase in deaths was caused in part by Florida and Georgia reporting record fatalities.

Florida reported 276 new fatalities on Tuesday and 212 on Wednesday, bringing the statewide death toll to 8,765.

Meanwhile, the number of cases in Florida continues to trend downward, following a massive summer spike in the Sunbelt states. The state reported 8,183 cases on Wednesday, down from its record of 15,000 in mid-July.

In Georgia, a record 136 deaths were added to the state death toll on Tuesday, followed by 109 on Wednesday, bringing the total to 4,456.

The number of deaths in the state has been on the rise since the end of July, and the average death toll was up five percent last week compared to the previous seven days.

The rise in deaths comes after infections across the state began an upward trend in late June. The cases seemed to flatten in Georgia in late July, but are now increasing slightly after a decline in the first week of August.

In the past week, 11 states saw an increase in COVID-19 cases, including Hawaii (124%), Vermont (27%), North Dakota (19%), Indiana (18%), South Dakota (16%), Illinois (15%), Virginia (15%), Arkansas (7%), Idaho (5%), Kansas (5%), and Minnesota (3%).

The increase in deaths was caused in part by Florida and Georgia reporting record fatalities. Florida reported 212 new deaths and 8,183 new cases on Wednesday, bringing statewide totals to 8,765 and 550,901, respectively