As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations creep up during a summer wave of heightened virus activity, updated vaccines are still likely weeks away.
Americans have largely tuned out COVID, but the latest COVID uptick is a reminder that the virus continues to circulate and mutate — though the threat is far below pandemic-era levels.
Health officials face a challenge convincing a pandemic-fatigued public to get an updated COVID shot, as vaccine uptake has declined with each successive booster.
COVID hospitalizations have increased by two-thirds nationwide since June to about 10,000, which is far less than the 40,000-plus recorded the same time last year. Deaths have continued to decline, down about 90% from the peak of last winter’s wave.