COVID-19 deaths are on the rise again.
Just weeks ago, former White House Coronavirus Response Task Force coordinator, Dr. Deborah Birx said the U.S. should prepare for a summer surge of the virus. “It’s now predictable that the South will see surges in the summer and Northern states will see surges in the winter — especially around the holidays,” she added, as quoted by CNN.
And unfortunately, we’re already seeing signs of an increase.
According to Axios.com, after several weeks of declines, the U.S. is now averaging 365 daily deaths, up 7% in a couple of weeks. While that doesn’t seem like a lot, as compared to the thousands we were seeing, it’s a sign of a potential spike with waning immunity.
There were also about 77,000 new COVID cases over the last week, up 44% in two weeks. Some of the highest cases are being spotted in the Northeast. Rhode Island, for example saw 67.3 cases per 100,000 cases, up from 38.4 two weeks ago.
Also, “As variants spread, warm weather returns and more people let their guard down, cases are on the rise. While numbers appear far better than what they once were, officials warn the virus isn’t done with us yet,” added Axios.com.
Some of the top vaccine stocks to keep an eye on include:
Novavax (NVAX), which is waiting on a US FDA advisory committee to review the company’s EUA filing for its vaccine. That meeting is reportedly being held on June 7, 2022.
“We continue to hear from physicians, healthcare organizations, and consumers who are anxiously awaiting another vaccine option. We believe our vaccine, built on a well-understood protein-based vaccine platform, can play a part in fulfilling this need,” said Stanley C. Erck, President and Chief Executive Officer, Novavax. “We look forward to a productive VRBPAC meeting and will continue to work with the FDA throughout the review process.”
Other vaccine stocks that could push higher include BioNTech (BNTX) and Moderna (MRNA).