An infectious disease specialist told WGN Radio 720 host Bob Sirott that the reason COVID numbers are spiking is because people have let their guard down.
“The number one reason we are seeing a spike is behavior,” said Dr. Aileen Marty, Infectious Disease Specialist & Professor at Florida International University. “People are acting as if the pandemic is over when it is not.”
On Wednesday, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was high in cases where the delta variant was showing up. The U.S. government said the most common reason for the hesitancy is a lack of trust and the concern of side effects.
“There is a tremendous amount of people that are gathering indoors who are unvaccinated,” Marty said. “It is also true that a vast majority of the cases we are seeing are the delta variant.”
Numbers released Wednesday indicate that the states with the highest increases in cases include Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Nevada, and Tennessee.
“The delta variant spike is significantly different looking than even those of us that are fully vaccinated have a challenging time fighting it.”
Marty also addressed concerns about a rare neurological complication known as Guillain-Barré syndrome. Earlier in the week, The US Food and Drug Administration warned people of the potential onset of the rare disorder that used the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
“It is uncommon to get Guillain-Barré from using the J&J vaccine,” she said.
