New COVID variant: Will the next COVID outbreak happen soon? – Deseret News

Public health experts are warning local leaders to prepare for a future COVID-19 outbreak as cases continue to drop.

Whats happening: The seven-day average for COVID-19 cases in the United States hovered around 59,000 cases per day last week, a sign that the coronavirus outbreak is still here, though dropping compared to winter peaks.

What to expect: Public health experts recently told The Guardian that leaders should use the ongoing lull period to prepare for future outbreaks.

What theyre saying: Abraar Karan, an infectious disease physician at Stanford University, told The Guardian the pandemic isnt over and that officials should use the time right now to prepare for the next COVID-19 variant, which could be more transmissible.

The bottom line: Jason Salemi, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of South Florida College of Public Health, told The Guardian: We need to expect the unexpected with COVID-19.

More here:

New COVID variant: Will the next COVID outbreak happen soon? - Deseret News