There’s a lot of conflicting information about COVID-19 circulating right now…<\/p>\n
Is there a fourth wave coming, led by the delta variant?<\/p>\n
Are we due for more lockdowns and a market crash?<\/p>\n
The looming threat of the virus has many investors worried, so today I want to take a look at the current state of the country – and where I believe we’re headed next.<\/p>\n
To start off, the CDC says there’s a strong possibility that we’re already in a fourth wave of COVID-19, led by the much-publicized delta variant. <\/p>\n
Fortunately, it’s likely the FDA will approve the Pfizer vaccine for general use within the next two months. That’s a big step for a lot of people who are hesitant about taking an unapproved drug… and it’s essential for a true recovery.<\/p>\n
And on Monday, the CDC revealed that 70% of the population has received at least one dose of the vaccine. That comes about a month after the Fourth of July, which was President Biden’s original target date of having 70% of the country vaccinated.<\/p>\n
The U.S. is now among a handful of countries that have vaccinated most of the population.<\/p>\n
If we dig a little deeper into the COVID-19 statistics, the vast majority of vaccinated individuals are well protected. Even those who do develop breakthrough infections don’t tend to end up in the hospital – yet it’s still reasonable to wonder if more guidelines like social distancing will be reintroduced.<\/p>\n
Regardless, the government’s goal is clear – get as many people as possible vaccinated and carry on as normal.<\/p>\n
The “new” normal likely doesn’t call for social distancing, but rather booster shots as the virus mutates in the future. Like the common cold and the flu, viruses like COVID-19 naturally mutate all the time.<\/p>\n
That means we’re moving into a new phase of the recovery where we’ll just have to live with the virus.<\/p>\n
We’ll have to live with the vaccine too, as new data tells us that Pfizer’s vaccine loses its efficacy after about six months. That’s great news for investors. The company will be selling new doses every year… maybe even every six months.<\/p>\n