The World Health Organization says COVID-19 is “still very much with us” and is urging governments to strengthen their vaccination campaigns. Officials warn that cases are rising globally with a high percentage of positive tests across Europe and the United States. 

In Paris, at least 40 athletes competing at the summer Olympics tested positive for COVID-19 or other respiratory illnesses. The WHO says the rise comes at a time of pandemic fatigue, diminished testing and low vaccination rates.

Joining the discussion:

• Dr. Muhammad Munir is a Virologist and Professor in Biomedicine at Lancaster University.
• Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly is the Director of the Clinical Epidemiology Center and Chief of Research and Education Service at Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System.
• Dr. Kate Tulenko is the Founder and CEO of Corvus Health.
• Dr. Peter Chin-Hong is a Professor of Medicine and an Infectious Disease Specialist at the University of California, San Francisco.

More than 40 athletes at the Paris #Olympics have tested positive for Covid-19, highlighting a new global rise in cases as vaccination coverage plunges, WHO sayshttps://t.co/DPjpqxWpOk pic.twitter.com/sPbsLTfh0d

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) August 7, 2024

After two pandemic-disrupted Olympics, most teams haven’t given Covid a second thought in Paris. The Netherlands is the exception. https://t.co/Bw6ltULdGa

— New York Times World (@nytimesworld) August 8, 2024