Coronavirus Cases Skyrocket with No End in Sight

Governors across the country are issuing stark warnings for people to stay home, avoid non-essential travel, and change their behavior. Here are the very real and concerning numbers:

Yesterday, there were over 163,000 new cases. The case count is up 72% over the past 2 weeks. Hospitalizations are at an all time high — with 67,000 people hospitalized, an increase of 39% over the past 2 weeks. Cases are increasing in 46 states. Experts have said that only around 20% of actual cases are identified at any given time, so it's likely that the real number of new daily cases is over half a million.

Why is this happening now? What can you do to stay safe? And what is the government doing to help? We answer these 3 questions below:

The Surging Coronavirus Cases: Why Is This Happening Now?

According to health experts, there are two main reasons cases are going up now: pandemic fatigue and colder weather. Experts had always feared that with winter coming, as people move indoors more, cases would likely increase. They feared that the start of the flu season would also compound stressors on an already overwhelmed healthcare system.

The second piece — which is harder to quantify — is pandemic fatigue. For several months people's lives have upended and unintentionally or not, many people have forgotten basic COVID precautions: social distancing, wearing masks, washing hands. Several states still do not have any mask mandates, and it turns out, cases in these states are skyrocketing.

What Can We Do To Stop This Surging Case Count?

There are a couple continuous recommendations public health officials mention: First, stick to the basics. The estimates project that if everyone wears masks between now and the end of the year, tens of thousands of lives will be saved. So that's the starting point. Many governors still have not issued any mask mandates.

The second thing health experts are recommending is getting a flu shot, especially if you are part of the vulnerable population. They recommend getting this sooner and most drugstores are giving these out for free.

The third is to be aware, in particular about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and the usual travel and shopping patterns that come with the Holiday season. There are ways to stay safe during Thanksgiving which includes keeping celebrations small, avoid mixing households, and opening the windows.

In fact, the NYTimes has put together a guide to staying safe during Thanksgiving.

What Is Our Government Doing to Help Address the Surge?

Some states are getting serious again with lockdown or stay-at-home orders. Today, New Mexico's governor announced "stay at home" orders to begin Monday. Governor Kate Brown of Oregon issued orders today for a partial lockdown for 2 weeks, shuttering gyms, halting dining, and mandating social gatherings of no more than 6 people.

Then there are calls for a federal response as well. President-elect Joe Biden said today: "This crisis demands a robust and immediate federal response, which has been woefully lacking. Urgent action is needed today, now, by the current administration — starting with an acknowledgment of how serious the current situation is."

Third, lawmakers universally agree more relief funding in some form is necessary. This will help businesses and individuals stay afloat, pay bills and rents and other essential items. Democrats and Republicans continue to negotiate on how much and how targeted to be, frustrating the American people.

And finally, there is positive vaccine progress. Pfizer announced this week that their vaccine candidate in late-stage trials was 90% effective. That's very promising news, but experts also caution that mass adoption of a vaccine is still several months away under a best case scenario.

In the meantime, health experts urge people to not only go back to the basics but to rethink their own travel patterns, in a collective effort to stop the skyrocketing spread. #staysafe