According to Experts, COVID is Far From Over

Vox Reports: Experts say Covid-19 cases are likely about to surge

Experts warn that the U.S. should be aware of the surging cases likely to happen within the next few months.

The surge of Covid-19 cases and deaths in America over the summer resulted from a toxic mix of factors: states reopening, lockdown fatigue, and a season typically filled with vacations and holidays like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. People gathered and celebrated indoors — at bars, restaurants, and friends’ and family’s homes. Millions of people got sick, and tens of thousands died.

Experts are now worried as states are rolling back restrictions, people are trying to put the virus behind them, and the holidays are near. They believe we're about to repeat the same mistakes we had a few months ago.

Coronavirus cases have already trended up since mid-September. On September 12, the US hit a recent low in its seven-day case average of around 35,000. As of October 4, it was up to almost 44,000. The recent increase doesn’t seem to be driven by any one particular state — though some, like the Dakotas and Wisconsin, are doing quite badly — but rather upticks across much of the country all at once. (Increased testing capacity is likely detecting more cases, too.)

The biggest issue the U.S. faces is that the country didn't suppress the virus from the start.

Consider Florida. Last month, the state reopened bars and, more recently, restaurants, despite the high risk of these indoor spaces. After Florida previously opened bars, in June, experts said the establishments were largely to blame for the state’s massive Covid-19 outbreak in the summer. As Florida reopens now, it has roughly two to three times the number of Covid-19 cases that it had in early June, and its high test positivity rate suggests it’s still likely missing a lot of cases. The state is fanning its flames while its most recent fire is nowhere near extinguished.

Meanwhile, the fall and winter seasons will likely make the pandemic much more. Schools will continue to reopen, people will stay indoors, and the virus will continue to spread. Moreover, the flu season is about to hit.

States are once again starting to reopen more widely, as officials face pressure from businesses to reopen indoor dining before colder temperatures make outdoor activities less feasible. Experts worry that Americans as a whole will get even more fatigued with social distancing, now that the country is more than seven months into its battle against Covid-19.