This Map Shows The U.S. As Being One Big Coronavirus Hot Spot
We knew it was inevitable — the post Thanksgiving surge in coronavirus cases is dang near out of control. The waves of this dadgum pandemic just keep coming.
While a lot of people listened to the CDC, having smaller Thanksgiving gatherings relegated to immediate family, there were still many who chose to gather in a more traditional Thanksgiving way, with larger groups meeting for the festive feast.
I know in MY world, 3 of my friends ended up cathching the cornavirus over the long holiday weekend. Don’t worry, I didn’t go to any of their gatherings!
Even BEFORE everyone got together for Thanksgiving, the coronavirus numbers were boardering on insane. Last week in the U.S., we hit “more than 200,000 new COVID-19 cases in a single day.” I’d call that a record — and not a good one.
The midwestern states — Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, etc — were hit particularly hard this go-around. The rural areas seemed to bear the brunt of this coronavirus surge.
The Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services released a map during one of their internal briefings, and it shows that nearly every state in the U.S. has areas — sometimes pretty huge — of “sustained hot spots.”
The brief, dated Nov. 28 and marked for official use only, defines areas as “sustained hotspots” if they have “a high sustained case burden and may be higher risk for experiencing healthcare resource limitations.”
Yahoo News
These hot spots are areas that show spikes in coronavirus cases — and as you can see, they are pretty much everywhere.
Now that we have officially jumped into the deep end of the Holiday Season, there are going to be parties, get togethers, meals, tons of shopping, and plenty of other things that bring people together in larger groups.
Now, I’m not saying DON’T participate in these things.
Just realize, you are doing so at your own risk. The numbers are growing. You don’t want to become another statistic.
Do the things you know that will keep you the most safe.
Like I heard on the radio as I was driving to do some of my own Christmas shopping, do the 3 “W”s: Wash your hands, Wear your mask, Wait 6 feet apart.
To be even MORE safe, people should listen to what U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams is telling people to do:
If they traveled or attended gatherings with people not in their household, they should take steps to protect others, including thorough testing and self-isolating. “We need you to think about what you did over the holidays,” he said.
Yahoo News
Stay safe out there!! Have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday, but do so in the safest way possible.
Yes, this year may look a bit different than in years past — PLEASE practice distancing!! — but this is but a blip in time.
If we can kick this thing out, we can go back to our regularly scheduled Holiday Season NEXT year, and for that, my friends, I can’t wait!!