Despite Dip in COVID-19 Cases, Expert Says U.S. Is in the 'Eye of the Hurricane' as Variants Spread

Experts say that even as the number of COVID-19 infections are declining, Americans should not let their guard down and should continue to focus staying safe because new variants are cropping up across the country, states CNN . Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, says the United States is in the "eye of the hurricane." Nearly 700 cases of COVID-19 variants first spotted in the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Brazil have been reported in the United States so far, according to data updated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). On Feb. 7, the United States surpassed 27 million reported infections, according to Johns Hopkins University data, while CDC data reported that more than 31 million Americans have so far received at least their first dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.