Coronavirus cases across the US are on the rise again. Health experts say that small gatherings are behind the increase in numbers.
This is very unfortunate. When you look at John Hopkin’s data, Michigan had over 1,500 cases yesterday. And our 7-day average is around 1,200.
Unfortunately, the numbers nationwide are not any better. The 7-day average is now just over 52,000.
So what’s behind this rise? Well, as was mentioned, the CDC is pointing at small household gatherings. And this is a huge concern - why? Because Halloween is just a couple of weeks away and Thanksgiving is next month. And we all know that these two holidays are a time when families and friends get together and celebrate. And I’m very concerned that these festivities will increase numbers even more if people gather together and are not careful.
I know most people are not going to like my advice here. But I am suggesting that people look closely at family members and find out who is at risk of developing severe COVID1-19. And then avoid spending time with them in person while indoors.
Remember, just because you feel fine doesn’t mean you’re not carrying the virus. Roughly 40% of people are asymptomatic – they have no symptoms at all - yet they can still spread the virus to others.
Now, I’m not happy about this either. I have close family members that I believe would not survive a COVID infection. So, my family’s Thanksgiving will only include those living in my house.
Having said that, there is another way to spend time with loved ones. And that is to use Zoom or Facetime. That way they can still eat and talk with you but from the safety of their own home.
Hospitalizations are on the rise not just here in Michigan, but nationwide as well. As of yesterday, there were over 36,000 hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We haven’t been that high since August.
And the rise in numbers for both cases and hospitalizations is more worrisome now because we’re heading into colder weather. That means more people indoors and more opportunities for the virus to spread. And with more folks getting sick, our hospitals could get overwhelmed with patients, which could potentially lead to more deaths.
