Delta variant: Growing concern as countries see an uptick in COVID-19 cases around the globe

JIMMIE JOHNSON: PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN PREDICTED JULY FOURTH WOULD BE AN INDEPENDENCE DAY FROM COVID, BUT IT IS WAY TOO SOON TO CELEBRATE.

BIDEN SET A DEADLINE FOR GETTING 70-PERCENT OF AMERICANS VACCINATED.

WE ARE STILL WELL BELOW 50% OF PEOPLE VACCINATED.  

AND ON TOP OF THAT, COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD ARE TAKING A STEP BACKWARDS IN THEIR FIGHT AGAINST COVID. 

FROM LOCKDOWNS IN AUSTRALIA TO MASKED TOURISTS IN PORTUGAL AND INDOOR MASK REQUIREMENTS IN ISRAEL, COUNTRIES ARE REIMPOSING PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS. 

WHY? WELL, THERE’S AN UPTICK IN A NEW STRAIN OF COVID-19 CALLED THE DELTA VARIANT.

HEALTH EXPERTS SAY IT’S HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS, MORE DEADLY, AND MORE RESISTANT TO VACCINES. 

ACCORDING TO THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, ABOUT HALF OF ADULTS INFECTED  WITH THE  DELTA VARIANT IN ISRAEL RECEIVED THE PFIZER VACCINE AND WERE FULLY VACCINATED. 

THEY ARE ALSO REPORTING, 90-PERCENT OF NEW INFECTIONS WERE LIKELY CAUSED BY THE NEW STRAIN. 

AS A RESULT, ISRAEL AND OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE CALLED FOR THE RETURN OF COVID SAFETY MEASURES TO CONTAIN THE HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS STRAIN.