CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The summer of 2021 is here and we're all enjoying a little more normalcy as it seems the finish line of the COVID-19 pandemic is in sight, but when will it officially be a thing of the past?
Researchers say that may depend on our neighbors to the south. Scientists are warning that large clusters of unvaccinated people could push that finish line further back.
Let's connect the dots.
Researchers at Georgetown University identified five clusters that could pose a problem. Those include residents in Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.
In all, more than 15 million people live in those clusters, and less than 30% are fully vaccinated.
The U.S. COVID-19 vaccination tracking project says that could be a big problem. People who live in those areas are more likely to be unvaccinated, and more likely to interact with other unvaccinated people.
That means their risk for spreading COVID-19 is far greater. But what if you're already vaccinated?
Scientists say these clusters still matter. Areas with lots of unvaccinated people could be a breeding ground for new variants of the virus.
Our vaccines are able to fight off the current variants we know about, but the next mutation could make COVID-19 more resistant to those shots.
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