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Interviewer: Professor Temte , thank you for taking the time to do
this newest update interview on the epidemiology of COVID-19.
Could you please, first,
describe some of the main changes which have occurred in
the epidemiology of COVID-19 since October last year?
Prof. Temte: Well, that seems like ages ago.
Across, at least the United States,
we saw a tremendous surge that peaked out in mid to late November,
and we're just at the tail end of this surge at this point in time.
That was our proverbial third wave that we dealt with,
and within that wave was enclosed
so much of the morbidity, hospitalization, and mortality.
I think there was just a report out that showed our overall rate of
death for 2020 was phenomenally high in the United States,
with COVID-19 being the third leading cause of death for our population.
I think that's the largest thing.
I think the other thing epidemiologically that is so important
occurring since last October has been this emergence of the variants of concern,
including the B117 strain out of the United Kingdom and also,
strains out of South Africa, Brazil, and California.
All which we are watching intently to see,
if they have significant effects on reemergence and again,
acceleration of this virus.
