With fewer cases and the reopening of states, the potential final stage of the US campaign to eradicate COVID-19 is becoming a difficult one, with worrying variants gaining a greater foothold, while lottery tickets and other prizes have failed to convince some Americans are vaccinated.
"The last half, the last mile, and the last quarter mile always require more effort," said Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday.
Although California and New York, the two states hardest hit by the pandemic, celebrated their reopening with fireworks and a multi-million dollar lottery this week, hospitalizations in parts of Missouri have surged, with cases in Texas. The number has risen sharply, which illustrates the challenges facing the country this summer.
A major problem is the highly contagious and possibly more serious delta variant of the coronavirus first discovered in India. Although health officials say the vaccine is effective against it, there are concerns that it will cause an outbreak in states with lower vaccination rates.