The U.S. is in a far better place this summer than many other countries witnessing new COVID cases.But the Delta variant of COVID, now expected to become the dominant strain in the U.S., is posing serious dangers in areas with low vaccination rates.It has spread in many countries worldwide. And that is triggering shutdowns and fears of more deaths. William Brangham begins our coverage with this report.Across the world, a wave of new lockdowns are being implemented, as nations scramble to get ahead of the coronavirus strain known as the Delta variant.The risk is real, and we need to act quickly.The fear spans entire continents. Cities across Australia, a country praised for its initial handling of the pandemic, but now with limited vaccination, are now imposing stay-at-home orders.As of midnight, Perth and Peel will be entering a four-day lockdown.In several Asian nations, Indonesia and Malaysia, the variant has threatened to overrun hospitals.Travelers in Hong Kong hustled to get on the last flights to the United Kingdom before a travel ban went into place.It's killing people by the thousands.And across Africa, the virus is hitting hard. It's forced South Africa to reinstate bans on alcohol sales, gatherings and indoor dining for the next two weeks. President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a stark warning:We are in the grip of a devastating wave that, by all indications, seems like it will be worse than those that have preceded it.
