MINEOLA, NY (TIP): The delta variant of the coronavirus continues to drive case rates higher in the U.S., especially in places with low vaccination rates. Nassau County has a “high” level of coronavirus transmission as of Aug. 3, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were 112 new cases per 100,000 residents between July 27 and Aug. 2. The positive test rate was 3.5 percent between July 25 and July 31, which was a 0.8 percentage point increase from the previous seven days. There were 1,526 recorded cases in Nassau County between July 27 and Aug. 2, which is 42 percent higher than the previous seven days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors in public if they live in an area with “substantial” or “high” transmission levels. Those who aren’t fully vaccinated are urged to wear masks in those settings, regardless of transmission level. Transmission levels are determined either by new cases per 100,000 residents in the last seven days or the percentage of coronavirus tests that come back positive; the higher category determines the transmission level. Around 61 percent of U.S. counties are in the “high” transmission level and 19 percent are “substantial,” according to the CDC.

The CDC also recommends indoor public mask use for people with compromised immune systems or other high-risk factors, regardless of vaccination status. People who live with someone at higher risk for coronavirus complications should also consider using masks.

Vaccines even more important as delta variant spreads

The U.S. seven-day average of daily new cases reached 72,000 on Monday, August 2 which is a 44 percent increase from the previous seven-day average and higher than last summer, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said at a Monday press briefing. The highly contagious delta variant is behind the increase. “To put this in perspective, if you get sick with the alpha variant, you could infect about two other unvaccinated people,” Walensky said. “If you get sick with the delta variant, we estimate that you could infect about five other unvaccinated people.”

States with low vaccination rates are now hot spots for infections, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeff Zients said at the Monday briefing. The seven states with the lowest vaccination rates have 8.5 percent of the U.S. population but more than 17 percent of new cases.

Vaccination rates have increased over the past few weeks after a temporary lull.

“Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen a nearly 70 percent increase in the average number of new people getting vaccinated each and every day,” Zients said. “In the last seven days alone, 3 million Americans have gotten their first shot. That’s the highest seven-day totals since July 4.”

(With inputs from CDC)