- An estimated 176,000 people have died from the coronavirus in the United States.
- Though the daily number of new cases in many areas has plateaued, experts warn that we may see a spike in new infections once fall arrives.
- An infectious disease expert recently listed out five activities to avoid until we can get the coronavirus under control.
While the U.S. is still struggling to keep the coronavirus at bay, people in Wuhan, China, and in other former COVID-19 hotspots across the globe have already started to return to a life of normalcy. And though the coronavirus in the U.S. isn’t spiking to the same degree that it was back in June and July, the number of new coronavirus cases isn’t subsiding either. There’s also a very real fear that we might see a jump in new cases now that schools are opening back up across the country.
What’s more, Dr. Anthony Fauci and other doctors have relayed that we might be in for a rude awakening if we can’t keep the number of new coronavirus cases down by the time fall rolls around. To this point, colder weather and the forthcoming flu season might see the number of new coronavirus cases skyrocket. Fauci a few weeks ago specifically said that the U.S. needs to get the daily number of new coronavirus cases below 10,000.
“You look at our numbers now,” Fauci said, “we’re right in the middle of the first wave here. We’re having a surging of cases. The last ones with 50-60,000 per day with 1,000 deaths per day. We’ve got to get those numbers down. And if we don’t get them down, then we’re going to have a really bad situation in the fall. Because as you get indoors and you get the complication of influenza, that’s something we’re going to have to deal with.”
So how do we get the number of new coronavirus cases to shrink? Well, the frustrating thing is that doing so would seemingly be easy if people adhered to basic safety guidelines like social distancing, mask-wearing, and frequent hand washing. Additionally, there are certain activities that people would be well-advised to avoid altogether, a list that includes going to bars and crowded restaurants.
Touching on this, Infectious Diseases Specialist Debra Goff recently laid out five activities people should avoid while the coronavirus pandemic rages on. And while much of the list seems obvious, a quick glance at the news reveals that some people need consistent reminders to exercise caution.
Goff’s list of five activities to avoid (via MSN) reads as follows:
- Cruises
- Large indoor gatherings
- Dinner at a friend’s house
- Theaters
- Public transportation
To points 2 and 3, studies have shown that indoor gatherings — even small events like dinner parties and birthday parties with family members — have been responsible for a number of spreading events. This is primarily due to the fact that people at indoor gatherings are less likely to wear masks and aren’t inclined to adhere to social distancing guidelines.
Incidentally, Dr. Fauci a few weeks ago released a similar list of activities he would recommend the public not partake in, a list that includes, frequenting bars and restaurants, air travel, going to the gym, and sharing food.
