U.S. celebrates July Fourth as nation emerges from devastating Covid pandemic

Americans are celebrate the Fourth of July after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of most events last year, raising hopes that life is on the road to a semblance of normalcy as cases and deaths from Covid-19 near record lows.

The White House has encouraged people to come together and watch fireworks displays to mark the country’s “independence” from the virus. Businesses and restaurants are reopening across the country as restrictions are being relaxed and air travel briefly surpassed 2019 levels at the start of the holiday weekend.

President Joe Biden is hosting an Independence Day party on Sunday with 1,000 essential workers and military families on the South Lawn of the White House, marking the first large-scale event held by the president. He delivered remarks on the progress the U.S. has made against the virus.

“This year the Fourth of July is a day of special celebration for we are emerging from the darkness of a year of pandemic and isolation, a year of pain, fear and heartbreaking loss,” Biden said during remarks given on the White House South Lawn.

“Just think back to where this nation was a year ago, think back to where you were a year ago, and think about how far we have come,” Biden said. “From silent streets to crowded paraded routes lined with people waving American flags.”

“From empty stadiums and arenas to fans back to their seats cheering together again. From families pressing hands against a window to grandparents hugging their grandchildren once again. We’re back travelling again, we’re back seeing each other one again,” Biden said.

Though the country has made significant progress against the pandemic due to the vaccination rollout, the Fourth of July weekend also comes as U.S. health officials monitor spread of the Covid delta variant, which is believed to be more transmissible than other strains earlier in the pandemic.

Coronavirus cases are much lower than the peak in January, when the country saw more than 300,000 new cases on a single day, according to a CNBC analysis of Johns Hopkins University data.

Still, cases have been trending upward in the recent days and some health officials warn that the U.S. shouldn’t declare victory over the pandemic yet due to the delta variant, which now comprises about a quarter of infections among mostly unvaccinated people.

As of Sunday, the seven-day average of new daily Covid cases in the U.S. is 13,196, an 11% increase over the last week, according to CNBC’s analysis of JHU data.

Deaths in the U.S. have been slowing for months. The seven-day average of new Covid deaths is 225, down 23% from one week prior, according to CNBC’s analysis.

More than 600,000 people in the U.S. have died over the course of the pandemic.

Article source: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/04/fourth-of-july-us-celebrates-as-nation-emerges-from-pandemic.html