US on track to see 200K daily COVID-19 cases, former CDC director says, because "Havana syndrome"?

"As we ease and go into the summer, we expect them to rise significantly, and they could go as high as 100,000 case numbers," Sajid Javid said at the time. "What matters more than anything is hospitalization and death numbers, and that is where the link has been severely weakened."

What this means, I believe, is US mortality is not rising at the same rate as SARS-CoV-2 δ infection.

HOLD THE PHONE ... for long COVID predictions ...
Heavy wildfire smoke linked to increased COVID-19 risk, researchers say

Researchers looked at Washoe County in northern Nevada, which saw a simultaneous increase in COVID-19 cases while also being exposed to wildfire smoke last year.
[...]
"If you're susceptible to air pollution, such as particulate matter, it could be that you just have a situation where you'll be also much more susceptible to viral particles that might be in the air that you're breathing," Pinkerton said. "It's not that the air pollution makes the COVID-19 cases more likely to happen, but it may simply be a reflection of just the fact that, where areas of high pollution are ... the risk for COVID-19 cases may be greater."

mmmm'k
reference
Feb 2021, Nature, Are smokers protected against SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19)? The origins of the myth

So, what research was this claim based on in the first place?

June 2021, CDC, Wildfire Smoke and COVID-19

Wildfire smoke can irritate your lungs, cause inflammation, affect your immune system, and make you more prone to lung infections, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, preparing for wildfires might be a little different this year. Know how wildfire smoke can affect you and your loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic and what you can do to protect yourselves.
[...]
The best way to protect against the potentially harmful effects of wildfire smoke is to reduce your exposure to wildfire smoke, for example, by seeking cleaner air shelters and cleaner air spaces.

July 2021, Nature, SARS-CoV-2 test positivity rate in Reno, Nevada: association with PM2.5 during the 2020 wildfire smoke events in the western United States
Post hoc ergo propter hoc