The Biden administration announced the launch of "surge response" teams to stop the spread of the delta variant in COVID-19 hot spots, a White House official told The Washington Post.
The delta variant, first identified in India, is now the most commonly circulating strain in the U.S., according to sequencing data cited by The Wall Street Journal.
The teams will include both virtual and in-person support, helping deploy additional supplies as needed. Staff will come from the CDC, HHS and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The CDC has already sent a response team to Mesa County, Colo., where a surge has been tied to the delta variant, the White House official said. Another team is preparing to deploy to Missouri, where hospitals are being stretched thin in areas with low vaccination rates.