The delta variant is accelerating the spread of COVID-19 around the country.

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the variant accounts for at least 93% of all cases in the United States. This is up from 83% of cases just two weeks ago.

The variant is causing some new restrictions to be put in place. Businesses are reacting with new mask policies. Wegman’s has now joined several other major companies in making masks mandatory for shopping.

But getting people to comply with these mandates may prove to be difficult.

“You have to look back at the 1918 flu pandemic when there were mask mandates. When you take mask mandates away, bringing them back is incredibly difficult,” says Dr. Stephanie Silvera, public health professor at Montclair State University. “People are saying, ‘I’m done with it. I don’t want to go back.’”

But Silvera says that mandates may be required if vaccination rates don’t go up.

Cases of COVID-19 are on the rise in New Jersey. There were only 240 new cases of the virus on July 7. Nearly a month later, there were almost 1,200 reported on Aug. 4.

And with about a month left before the start of the new school year, Gov. Phil Murphy has said that children will be back in the classroom. But not everyone is convinced that hybrid learning will be a thing of the past.

“Right now, the most vulnerable people are those who are not vaccinated. And [children] under 12 are not vaccinated,” Silvera says. “The best thing you can do to keep your family safe, to keep the children safe, is to go and get your vaccine.”

The rise in cases has also led to the cancellation of several events – events that were postponed last year as well. The New York Car Show has been canceled, along with the Sussex County Crawfish Festival.

A music festival in Asbury Park scheduled for next month is currently still on, but proof of a vaccine or negative COVID-19 test is required.

Dr. Anthony Fauci says that he believes that the United States could see up to 200,000 COVID-19 cases in the fall. Right now, there are only about 10,000 per day.

Fauci says about 93 million Americans are eligible for the vaccination, but have yet to get their shots.

The Food and Drug Administration is looking to fully approve the Pfizer vaccine by Labor Day, according to the New York Times.