- A second coronavirus surge could happen as early as next month due to colder weather and the arrival of flu season.
- Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar recently listed out three strategies people can do to help limit the coronavirus from spreading.
- Coronavirus deaths in the US recently passed 200,000. Meanwhile, some coronavirus survivors have noticed that some of their symptoms do not go away.
The handling of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States has left a lot to be desired, to say the least. While the daily number of coronavirus infections declined steadily from April to June, the number of new COVID-19 cases began to skyrocket in early July as states began opening up en masse.
The end result has been nothing short of disastrous. Throughout July, states like Florida and Arizona saw massive surges in new coronavirus cases. And though things have settled down a bit since then, the average number of new coronavirus cases today is about 40,000, a figure which is more than double what we were seeing back in late May and early June.
Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. is poised to get worse before it gets better. With fall underway and winter now creeping up around the corner, health officials are anticipating a huge increase in coronavirus cases on account of colder weather and the upcoming flu season.
In light of that, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar went on the Today Show this week to articulate three strategies people can implement to help stop the coronavirus from spreading even further. Azar’s tips aren’t exactly groundbreaking, but seeing as how the rate of coronavirus cases is on the upswing, it’s clear that some people might need a reminder.
Azar urged viewers to make a habit of washing their hands, watching their distance in the company of others, and wearing a face mask when appropriate. Azar called this approach practicing the “three Ws.”
Azar said the guidance above is “clear and unambiguous” and should be strictly adhered to. Indeed, CDC director Robert Redfield recently explained that mask-wearing is a more effective approach towards combatting the coronavirus than a vaccine.
“These face masks are the most powerful public health tool we have,” Redfield said. “I appeal to all Americans to embrace these face coverings.”
Beyond the “three Ws,” Azar stressed the importance of getting a flu shot. “The other thing that’s really important, if I could just ask, please get your flu vaccine this year. We have plenty of flu vaccine. We want you as healthy as possible as we go into flu season.”
And third, Azar said it’s important for people to strictly adhere to coronavirus safety guidelines because we’re still in the midst of a pandemic.
“We’re in an enduring pandemic and what’s really important is that we not let down our guard as individuals,” Azar explained. “Because we saw that in the South and Southeast after Memorial Day week, we saw a consistent uptick in cases, regardless of when States had reopened or even if they had reopened. It was because of individual behaviors. We’ve all got to be vigilant because we’re in a bridge period.”
