- Americans will be out in droves this July 4th weekend, with many planning to gather at beaches, parks, and barbecues.
- While the coronavirus lockdown is over in many areas, it’s more important than ever to adhere to social distancing guidelines.
- The coronavirus is still spreading rapidly across a number of states.
With the July 4th holiday upon us, millions of Americans will be out celebrating this weekend with family and friends at beaches, parks, and barbecues. And even though we’re in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic that is quite literally getting worse by the day, the unfortunate reality is that many Americans are tired of being stuck at home and will be out en masse this weekend.
With that said, Biology professor Erin Bromage recently spoke to CNN and articulated a number of safety precautions people should keep in mind over the weekend. Especially now that the weather has warmed up and people are itching to enjoy the outdoors with friends and family, it’s more important than ever to adhere to what are essentially some basic safety guidelines.
Bromage specifically tackles some of the more popular July 4th activities and provides advice for each one individually. If you’re having a barbecue, for example, Bromage suggests limiting the number of invited guests so that people can easily adhere to social distancing guidelines. Bromage further notes that all gatherings should be held outdoors, which is to say don’t bring the party inside in the event of rain.
Bromage adds that social distancing needs to be followed across the board, whether you’re at the beach, the pool, or a fireworks show. While the advice is seemingly obvious, some of the news stories we’ve seen in recent weeks illustrate that some people really do need reminders to stay six feet away from others while in public spaces. It’s also a helpful reminder as people might inadvertently revert back to their old ways while in celebration-mode.
Of course, you’d probably be better off avoiding public places altogether, whether it be a beach, a pool, or a bar.
“I get a little bit afraid there’s not a lot of moderation in the US public right now,” Bromage says. “It’s sort of people locking themselves away or going out and having parties like they did six months ago.”
“We need moderation,” Bromage added. “Be aware that there’s still a threat out there, and if we let our guard down even for just one night, we go into the situation that we’re seeing in Texas, that we’re seeing in Arizona.”
More broadly, more than 30 states at this point are seeing an increase in coronavirus cases. All told, the United States this week saw its tally of daily new coronavirus cases shoot past 55,000 for the first time. Florida alone was responsible for more than 10,000 of those new cases.
The grim reality is that we’re not anywhere close to moving past the coronavirus in this country. The only good news, at this point, is that the death toll isn’t rising alongside the rapid increase in new cases. Many experts attribute this to the fact that most new coronavirus cases involve younger adults who are less likely to experience severe coronavirus symptoms.
