Europe’s Covid spike has Biden officials concerned, could lead to return of masks
Over the past two years, the U.S. has experienced Covid waves similar to those in Europe — only several weeks later.
The surge in Covid-19 cases in Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom, is prompting urgent conversations among senior Biden health aides about the potential of the U.S. experiencing another wave this spring, according to three senior officials familiar with the matter.
While cases in the U.S. are at an eight-month low, the exponential growth in infections seen in several European countries is the latest evidence that Covid-19 remains a persistent threat that has the potential to upend the White House’s hopes of moving past the pandemic.
Over the past two years, the U.S. has experienced Covid waves similar to those in Europe — only several weeks later.
“You’ve got to at least be prepared that we may see something similar here with some differences, because there’s always differences,” said Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden’s chief medical officer. “We’ve got to not ignore it. We’ve got to monitor it very carefully.”
In recent days, officials from the White House Covid-19 task force and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have met to game out how the administration will respond if cases begin to rise drastically, according to the officials. The group has discussed the possibility of recommending communities reinstitute mask mandates indoors and how to ensure hospitals across the country are prepared for a potential spike in patients seeking care. Officials have also debated whether and when to recommend a fourth Covid-19 shot.
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Europe's surge in Covid-19 cases is prompting urgent conversations among top Biden health aides about the possibility of another wave in the U.S. this spring. https://t.co/f9R4BxqJd4
— POLITICO (@politico) March 17, 2022
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