- An estimated 185,000 people in the United States have died from the coronavirus thus far.
- While new cases are finally subsiding in former hotspots like California and Florida, adhering to coronavirus safety guidelines remains as important as ever.
- Experts have found that indoor gatherings should be avoided if possible as the activity tends to be a breeding ground for coronavirus transmission.
While the coronavirus remains an ongoing concern across most parts of the country, the good news is that the number of new infections is starting to decline significantly in former hotspots. In Florida, for example, the number of new coronavirus cases this past weekend dropped below 2,000 over a 24-hour period. The last time Florida saw a figure that low was during the first week of June.
Still, there’s no denying that we’re not anywhere close to moving past the coronavirus. And especially with kids returning to school, not to mention non-essential businesses opening back up, the potential for a second wave is real. What’s more, the arrival of fall and the impending flu season could cause a significant spike in coronavirus infections.
In light of that, Dr. Anthony Fauci recently listed out eight activities people should avoid for the time being. And though many of the entries on the list seem obvious, the fact that people are still arguing against wearing masks underscores the importance of taking these suggestions seriously.
Fauci’s list of activities to avoid include the following:
- Indoor gatherings
- Outdoor gatherings
- Bars
- Restaurants
- Air travel
- Public transportation
- Going to the gym
- Sharing food
The first point is especially worth focusing on given that indoor gatherings have been found to be the cause of many spreader events.
This is likely due to the fact that individuals at indoor gatherings perhaps feel a false sense of security and therefore opt to be less lenient when it comes to adhering to basic safety guidelines like mask-wearing, social distancing, and proper hygiene.
“People don’t think of it in the same way as the (President) Trump rally in Tulsa,” Dr. Peter Chin-Hong told the USA Today this week, “a bunch of people on the beach or in the bars, but these small events add up to a lot. It’s just invisible.”
Driving the point home, you may recall that Maryland Governor Larry Hogan back in July said that 67% of people who tested positive for the coronavirus in the state had either attended a family gathering or a house party.
The coronavirus, it’s worth mentioning, has been found to spread indoors quite easily when there’s poor ventilation.
“We need to pay a little bit more attention now to the recirculation of air indoors,” Fauci said last month, “which tells you that mask-wearing indoors when you’re in a situation like that is something that is as important as wearing masks when you’re outside dealing with individuals who you don’t know where they came from or who they are.”
With the Labor Day weekend right around the corner, it’s important for people to remember that basic coronavirus safety precautions like social distancing and wearing a mask are as important as ever.
