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By Zamira Rahim, CNN Monday, April 5
The US has hit "category five hurricane status" with the pandemic as the Midwest approaches a fourth wave of cases, Michael Osterholm, University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy director, said Sunday.
"Let me say that, at this time, we really are in a category five hurricane status with regard to the rest of the world," Osterholm said on NBC's Meet the Press.
"At this point, we will see in the next two weeks the highest number of cases reported globally since the beginning of the pandemic. In terms of the United States, we're just at the beginning of this surge, we haven't even really begun to see it yet."
Osterholm pointed to Michigan, which has recorded an alarming rise in infection in recent days. The state reported 8,413 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, its highest tally since December 7, according to health officials. Michigan also has the second highest number of cases of the more contagious B.1.1.7 variant, behind Florida.
Osterholm said surges of cases usually cycle between US regions, starting in the Upper Midwest and Northeast. These surges then subside, and move to the southern sunbelt states, which then subside in turn, with the case spike returning to the original regions.
Not all experts are convinced -- Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said on CBS's Face the Nation Sunday that he didn't think a true fourth wave was likely.
"I don't think it's going to be a true fourth wave," Gottlieb said. "I think we've probably delayed the point at which we can get this behind us for the summer, but we haven't forestalled that opportunity."
Osterholm's dire warning comes amid good news for the US vaccine rollout -- the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a record number of shots over the weekend with more than 4 million doses administered in 24 hours.
THE LATEST NUMBERS Global Cases 131,370,252
Global Deaths 2,854,154 US Cases 30,706,129
US Deaths 555,001
 Source: Johns Hopkins University YOU ASKED. WE ANSWERED. Q How long will vaccines protect people? A Initial evidence suggests immunity from vaccination against coronavirus provides long-lasting protection, but vaccine makers have begun making and testing versions of their shots that protect against worrying variants.
Doctors are worried that the coronavirus may end up being like influenza, which requires a new vaccine every year both because the circulating strains mutate fast and because immunity from the vaccine wears off quickly.
The latest report from Pfizer shows people in South Africa who got its coronavirus vaccine after B.1.351 became the dominant circulating virus were still very strongly protected from infection -- something that backs up laboratory experiments that have shown the vaccine causes such a strong and broad immune response that it provides a cushion against any effects of mutant viruses. But vaccine makers are not taking any chances. Send your questions here. Are you a health care worker fighting Covid-19? Message us on WhatsApp about the challenges you're facing: +1 347-322-0415. WHAT'S IMPORTANT TODAY Another US Covid-19 surge may look different, experts say, particularly for younger people. Here's how
The US vaccine rollout is intensifying, with the country now averaging more than 3 million administered doses daily according to the CDC.
But only about 18.5% of Americans are fully vaccinated and the new B.1.1.7 variant could spell trouble for younger groups that haven't yet been inoculated. While Americans over 65 are now relatively well protected, multiple states have reported rising cases and hospitalizations in younger age groups. This population now risks catching a variant that is more contagious and may cause more severe disease according to experts.
"We have to think about the B.1.1.7 variant as almost a brand-new virus," said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
"It's acting differently from anything we've seen before, in terms of transmissibility, in terms of affecting young people, so we have to take this very seriously." India reports more than 100,000 cases in 24 hours as second wave hits
India has plunged into its second wave -- and this time, with new variants, fatigue setting in among the population, and several massive religious gatherings taking place, it threatens to be worse than the first one.
The country recorded 103,558 new cases on Monday -- the highest single-day figure since the beginning of the pandemic.
The previous record high had been in September last yearIndia had improved since then, recording around 9,000 cases a day in mid-February -- which was hailed as a sign that the country had controlled its outbreak. Now, less than two months later, daily cases have jumped more than tenfold and authorities rushed to reimpose restrictions over the weekend in hard-hit states.
Experts warn that cases may balloon in the coming weeks, due to a number of large gatherings and congregations in several regions.  People are seen enjoying the warm weather at Juhu beach in Mumbai, on April 4. Photo: Ashish Vaishnav/SOPA Images/Shutterstock UK proposes pilots for Covid-19 passports as way out of lockdown
Britain plans to pilot Covid-19 passports at snooker tournaments, comedy clubs and soccer matches over the coming weeks in a scheme already dividing politicians and the public.
The government hopes the "Covid-status certification" scheme will allow those who are vaccinated, have had a recent negative test or a positive test within six months to return to theaters, football matches, cinemas and other events.
But Boris Johnson's government faces stiff opposition over the policy. More than 70 lawmakers last week joined civil liberties groups in launching a campaign railing against the proposed use of documents allowing people access certain domestic venues.
The issue isn't limited to the UK. The American Civil Liberties Union said last week that plans to roll out a standardized vaccine passport must account for social inequalities and privacy rights, and that anything less was a "nonstarter."
But several organizations and tech companies have already started developing smartphone apps and other digital systems to store and verify vaccination information. ON OUR RADAR
TODAY'S If you're struggling to get a vaccine appointment in the US, a good place to check is the CDC's Covid-19 vaccine finder. Pharmacies that are vaccinating have their own scheduling websites, too. Availability quickly changes and be sure to cancel your appointment if you can't keep it, so someone else will be able to get that slot. FROM TODAY'S PODCAST "I have never seen a more divisive or politicized pandemic than the way it's playing out here in the United States," -- Dr. Howard Markel, director of the Center for the History of Medicine at the University of Michigan As more schools across the country reopen, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to Dr. Markel about what we can learn from when schools opened during the influenza pandemic of 1918. LISTEN NOW. MORE FROM CNN  Michigan reported 8,413 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, bringing the state's total pandemic case count to 692,206, according to the state's health department.  Mariah Carey's Covid-19 vaccination was quite the performance. Unsubscribe | All CNN Newsletters
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