US CDC Director Warns of Second Major COVID-19 Surge This Winter

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that this winter, COVID-19 could resurge and lead to a more deadly situation. If the flu season overlaps with COVID-19, it could make disease control much more difficult than the current situation.

On the 21st (local time), Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. CDC, said in an interview with The Washington Post (WP), "When winter comes, the viral attack could be much stronger than anything we have experienced so far," and warned, "If the flu and COVID-19 viruses spread simultaneously, it could place an unimaginable burden on the healthcare system." He added, "It was fortunate that this COVID-19 outbreak began as the flu season was winding down," and stated, "If both viruses hit at the same time, healthcare capacity will be severely strained."

According to WP, during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, the U.S. experienced the first wave in spring, followed by a large second wave in fall and winter. In the U.S., where hundreds of thousands die annually from the flu alone, there is a risk of even greater chaos if COVID-19 coincides with the flu.

Director Redfield emphasized that federal and state officials need to prepare for the upcoming situation during the remaining time until winter. He stressed, "It is essential to emphasize social distancing, greatly improve the ability to identify infected individuals through testing, and conduct contact tracing to prevent a large-scale resurgence," and added, "It is important to urge the public to get flu vaccinations in advance to prepare for the situation this fall, at least to reduce flu-related hospitalizations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.