by Dr. Richard Williams, director
Post-Thanksgiving surge is beginning: High pandemic case numbers threaten the health care system
We are now seeing the post-Thanksgiving pandemic surge across the U.S. and the Commonwealth of Virginia. There have been over 14 million documented cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. Our current 7-day average of new cases daily in the U.S. is almost 215,000, and we have over 282,000 deaths.
Even if asymptomatic, undetected cases bring the total that have been infected to 50 million or more, over 85% of us remain naive to the disease and susceptible to infection. At these high community transmission levels, the threat to our vulnerable facilities (nursing homes, prisons and schools), our businesses, our economy, our health care system, and our loved ones is severe. Be smart about protecting yourselves in the coming weeks, this is a dangerous and unpredictable virus. Your life and the lives of your family and friends may depend on your behavior.
Follow these simple steps for safety:
• Do not spend time in a confined space with people outside your household. Do not participate in group lunches; do not engage in close conversations with others inside or outside.
• Do not spend extended time in indoor spaces, even if most or all people are wearing masks. Shop quickly, stay 6 feet away from others, do all activities remotely at home if you can.
• You can safely walk, jog, and engage in other outdoor activities without masking as long as you maintain social distance from others.
In Virginia, the 7-day moving average…There's more to this story...
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