CNN)With the continued spread of the 

more infectious Delta variant, health and elected officials

warned that hospitals across the country are reaching critical levels of Covid-19 patients,
especially in areas with lower vaccination rates. 

Overall hospitalizations are continuing to increase across Alabama as the "pandemic of

unvaccinated people continues," state health officer Dr. Scott Harris said on Friday. Alabama
hospitals have a negative capacity of ICU beds available, he said, and the state is seeing the
highest number of Covid-19 cases among children than at any other time during the pandemic. 

Push for Covid-19 boosters won't affect timelines for other vaccine decisions, health officials say
Louisiana has seen an "astronomical" number of Covid-19 cases during the latest surge,
according to Gov. John Bel Edwards, as infections are increasing particularly among younger
populations. 
"I can tell you that for the last couple of days, 28% of all the new cases that we're reporting are in
children zero to 17," he said on Friday. 
And Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said more people in the state were admitted to the hospital on
Wednesday than any other single day. Nearly everyone in the ICU for Covid-19 is unvaccinated
and six of the state's largest hospitals are at 100% capacity for ICU beds, she said.
Amid the rising case numbers, experts and officials are hopeful that an anticipated decision by
the US Food and Drug Administration granting full approval for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine
will help persuade more Americans about its efficacy, getting those who are eligible and
vaccine-hesitant on board with inoculations. 
As Covid-19 hospitalizations increase, a greater number of Americans are deciding to get
vaccinated

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