The US recently reached 4.12 million cases of COVID-19. The daily rate of confirmed cases and hospitalizations is steadily rising. Due to this fact, medical experts are strongly urging political leaders to shut down the country, saying that it is necessary to start over in order to contain the pandemic.
According to data from Johns Hopkins, over 144,000 deaths have been recorded in the United States.
As the numbers continue to spiral out of control, more individuals want action to be taken against the crisis at hand. Over 150 prominent US medical experts, scientists, nurses, teachers, and others have signed a letter urging political leaders to shut down the country once again, and start over.
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"Right now we are on a path to lose more than 200,000 American lives by November 1st. Yet, in many states people can drink in bars, get a haircut, eat inside a restaurant, get a tattoo, get a massage, and do myriad other normal, pleasant, but non-essential activities," the letter reads.
On Thursday, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mortality statisticians reported to CNN that Coronavirus is on track to become a leading cause of death in the US.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who is using his Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to help fund the development of coronavirus vaccine efforts, also spoke about the crisis during a recent CNN coronavirus town hall.
"Infection rates in the US are deeply troubling because the summer, when it's warmer, when people are outdoors more, actually it's easier to reduce the infection than it's going to be out in the fall," Gates said, "So we're in a very tough situation."’
