- Coronavirus infections in the U.S. have increased by almost 40% in the past two weeks.
- Many ICUs are operating close to capacity, as hospitalization rates have also reached record levels.
- With herd immunity still a few months away, it is more important than ever to follow CDC’s seven safety guidelines to avoid contracting COVID.
The gloomy scenario that many health experts predicted would happen in January, unfortunately, is unfolding before us. In the wake of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays – which saw millions of Americans travel home – dozens of states are currently experiencing massive spikes in coronavirus infections. In the past two weeks alone, the rate of coronavirus infection in the United States has increased by almost 40%, while deaths related to coronavirus have soared 47%.
Despite the arrival of vaccines against coronavirus, the reality is that it will take a while for the majority of the population to receive them. Frustratingly, the launch of Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines has been affected by several inefficiencies. Although some health officials expected to vaccinate 20 million Americans by the end of January, that goal does not seem achievable given the current vaccination rate.
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In light of the above, it is more important than ever to avoid pandemic fatigue and to take coronavirus safety guidelines seriously. The herd’s immunity is still many months away and the simple reality is that it is easier to contract COVID-19 during the winter than in previous seasons.
That said, the CDC has a list of seven preventive actions that everyone should follow to prevent coronavirus infection. Almost all of these actions should be familiar to everyone now, but the rising rate of COVID-19 infections underscores the fact that many people, unfortunately, need a friendly reminder.
The CDC guidelines are as follows:
- Wash your hands frequently.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with dirty hands.
- Stand at least 6 feet (about 2 arms) from other people.
- Stay home when you’re sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Wear a mask when going out in public.
- Masks should not be worn on children under 2 years of age, on anyone who has difficulty breathing or is unconscious, incapacitated or unable to remove the mask without assistance.
In addition to the basic security guidelines above, Dr. Fauci, in recent weeks, has made a point of discouraging internal meetings.
“Ten [people] it may even be a bit much, ”said Fauci last month. “It’s not just the number, it’s the people who may be coming from outside the city. You want to make sure you don’t have people who just landed on a plane or train. This is even more risky than the absolute number.
“You go into the house and take off your mask because you are eating and drinking and you do not realize that there may be someone you know who you love and who is perfectly well, with no symptoms and yet has been infected in the community,” Fauci added.
In fact, it was found that internal meetings are disproportionately responsible for outbreaks of coronavirus across the country. Up to this point, New York’s contact tracking data last year found that nearly three-quarters of new coronavirus infections came from family reunions.
A longtime Mac user and Apple enthusiast, Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the technology industry in general for over 6 years. His writings were published in Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK and, more recently, TUAW. When not writing and analyzing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni enjoys watching Improv shows in Chicago, playing football and cultivating new addictions to TV shows, the most recent examples being The Walking Dead and Broad City.