Newly-released data suggests that 99% of the new COVID deaths reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may primarily be attributed to other causes.
Of the 324 COVID deaths reported in the last week — the week that ended August 19 — by the CDC, fewer than 2% of those cases (1.7%) actually attributed the primary cause of death to COVID-19.
Different regions reported slight variations in that rate — in New York, for example, 2.1% of reported cases showed COVID-19 as the primary cause of death. The rate hovered right at 2% for Tennessee and North Carolina, and ticked up slightly to 2.4% in Washington.
The highest rates were in Florida and Maryland, where COVID-19 was listed as the primary cause of death in 3.4% of the reported cases.
This new data comes as COVID cases nationwide have seen recent upticks, prompting Morris-Brown College in Atlanta to reinstitute mask mandates and other mitigation measures despite having no positive cases on campus at the time.
Similar measures were put into place at Lionsgate Films studio in California, where there had been a few positive cases. Employees were told to monitor their symptoms, and will be subject to temperature checks and other mitigation requirements in addition to face masks while they are present in the building.
Preparation for colder weather and a potential surge in new cases has also led President Joe Biden to announce plans to fund a new COVID vaccine.
“I signed off this morning on a proposal we have to present to Congress a request for additional funding for a new vaccine that is necessary, that works,” Biden said last week while visiting Lake Tahoe. “Tentatively it is recommended that it will likely be recommended everybody get it no matter whether they’ve gotten it before or not.”
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White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has also spoken on the topic, promising that the Biden administration will be actively encouraging the American people to get the latest booster shot as it becomes available.
WATCH:
The White House says the administration is "prepared for the fall" when it comes to dealing with a rise in COVID infections.
This comes after Biden said he is planning to request more money from Congress to develop another new coronavirus vaccine, as hospitalizations rise. pic.twitter.com/V3KDH1Zcj9
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 28, 2023