Lila Blanks holds the barrel of her husband, Gregory Blanks, 50, who died of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, ahead of his funeral in San Felipe, Texas, USA, January 26, 2021.
WASHINGTON – An influential coronavirus model has predicted 599,000 COVID-19 fatal deaths in the United States by July 1st.
This represents an additional 75,000 deaths between March 8 and July 1, according to the latest forecast from the Institute for Health Metrics and Assessment (IHME) at the University of Washington.
The IHME estimated that the COVID-19 vaccine prognosis would save 87,200 lives by 1 July.
Daily infections are expected to remain stable at more than 125,000 per day until the end of March, and then decline steadily, according to the forecast.
Sometime from March through July 1, 18 states will have a high or very high pressure on hospital beds, according to the IHME.
Daily cases and deaths of COVID-19 continue to decline across the country. However, referrals are increasing in 19 states, data from the IHME show.
Experts have warned that transmission may increase enough to counteract the effects of vaccine size if people rest on protective measures such as mask wear and social distance.