Tourists stormed Las Vegas casinos to reopen on June 4, 2020. – MediaPunch / REX / SIPA
The endless plateau. While the pandemic of coronavirus is backing up in Europe and China, and growing in new regions (Latin America, India, Russia, Middle East), the United States seems blocked for more than two months around 20,000 new cases and 1,000 deaths daily. And while the epidemic is declining significantly in New York and the Northeast, 21 states have seen an increase in the number of new cases since the end of May, according to data from John Hopkins University.
The USA, stuck on a plateau of 20,000 new cases of covid per day for more than 2 months #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/hDg4lOMAng
– Philippe Berry (@ptiberry) June 9, 2020
The increase in the number of tests partly explains these figures. But the deconfinement, sometimes very laid back, especially in Las Vegas, and the many demonstrations that brought together hundreds of thousands of people
since the death of George Floyd, are closely monitored by experts. “We are far from finished with the virus,” infectious disease specialist Anthony Fauci warned on Tuesday.
Family gatherings and uninhibited deconfinement
The numbers are rising sharply in half a dozen states. The number of new cases tripled in Arizona, South Carolina, Arkansas and Florida from late May to June 8, for example. In Arizona, the number of daily tests has doubled since early May, and most of these are mostly mild cases. In Texas, North and South Carolina, by contrast, hospitalizations are on the rise compared to the previous month. It will take several weeks to see if the death numbers follow.
In California, health officials have recorded increases of more than 50% in some counties, including Sacramento. The “Contact tracing” largely points to cases contracted at family gatherings during Memorial Day’s long weekend in late May. As the deconfinement continues, and bars and cinemas must reopen, great disparities emerge on the wearing of masks: very widespread in predominantly democratic states, like New York, but much less in the South (Texas, Georgia, Louisiana). In Las Vegas, the images of the reopening of casinos have enough to give cold sweats to epidemiologists, with a distance as optional as the masks.
Las Vegas is officially back. pic.twitter.com/EI3nXs2e5w
– Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) June 6, 2020
Question mark about protests
Since the death of George Floyd, on May 26, hundreds of thousands of Americans participated in protests against racism and police violence in several hundred cities. In processions, like the one on Hollywood boulevard, which gathered 25,000 people, on Sunday, it was almost impossible to practice social distancing, for the demonstrators as for the journalists. An overwhelming majority of people wear a mask, but not everyone does. As a precaution,
experts recommend all participants to be tested a week after demonstrating.
This was captured by @ IG: yakooza. ❤️ Today, @BLMLA @BLMLA March down Hollywood Blvd. #BlackLivesMattters #BlackLivesMatters #defundthepolice pic.twitter.com/H7V3TS33Yg
– Chantal Thuy (@Chantal_Thuy) June 8, 2020
“Are the protests going to cause an increase in Covid-19 cases?” Yes. Will it be anecdotal, a rebound or a sharp increase? We don’t know, “said New York Presbyterian Emergency Director Craig Spencer on Twitter. According to him, being outdoors and wearing a mask reduces the risk of transmission, but density is an aggravating factor. Not to mention the use of tear gas by law enforcement and nights at the station in overcrowded cells. In Washington, several members of the National Guard have tested positive for Covid-19 in recent days, confirmed the authorities.
So, what about about going forward?
Will the protests result in more # COVID19 boxes? Yes.
Will it be a blip, a bump, or a bigger rise? We don’t know.
Being outdoors & wearing masks (as most protesters seemingly have been) definitely helps to decrease the risk of transmission.
– Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) June 8, 2020
Spencer, who fought the Ebola epidemic in Africa, said “protesters know the risks.” According to him, “fight 400 years of racial injustice worth it. “
–
