- Coronavirus cases are on the rise in the United States right now, a trend that was the subject of testimony in Congress on Tuesday by leading public health experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci.
- This trend is why we are beginning to see mask mandates being imposed in cities and states across the country.
- States like Florida, Arizona, California and others are forcing residents to wear face masks every time they are in public to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
“We have been severely beaten.”
This is how Dr. Anthony Fauci, who serves as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, described the current state of the coronavirus crisis facing the United States during congressional testimony Tuesday, as the number of cases confirmed coronaviruses in the US USA It exceeded 2.3 million. “That is something that really worries me,” Fauci told congressional leaders. “And you know that. This is something that has been in the press for the past few days. We were going down from 30,000 (new cases per day) to 25,000 to 20,000, and then we got a little flat, but now we’re going up. A couple of days there were 30,000 new infections. That’s very problematic for me. “
However, instead of feeling powerless in the face of these numbers, a recent study of Health issues it provides some hope and suggests at least one actionable step that people can take to stay safe from the virus. According to the study, states that have required their residents to wear face masks have seen a greater decrease in the growth rate of the coronavirus than those that have not. And by reviewing state orders and public data sets between April 1 and May 21, the study estimates that between 230,000 and 450,000 cases of COVID-19 may have been prevented in all 15 states, as well as DC, which they required people to wear masks.
That is why we are beginning to see new mandates that people must wear face masks in public in cities and states across the country, in places like Florida, Arizona, California, and Michigan. According to a CNN map, in fact, at least 15 states and DC now have mandatory face mask orders, following guidelines issued by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. USA Since last April they say that everyone should wear a face mask in public.
Cities that have issued their own mask mandates include several in Florida, which is experiencing a strong resurgence in coronavirus cases. Those cities include Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and the Florida Keys. Not surprising, considering that over the weekend, Florida recorded 4,049 new cases of coronavirus on Saturday, which was the state’s fourth day-long record last week.
Other cities in states like Texas and Arizona are following suit and adding mask requirements. Face masks, once again, are one of the few protections we have against a virus responsible for more than 120,000 reported deaths in the US. USA, According to the latest numbers from Johns Hopkins University.
Andy is a reporter in Memphis and also contributes to media like Fast Company and The Guardian. When he’s not writing about technology, he can be found protectively hunched over his burgeoning vinyl collection, plus guarding his whovianism and binging on a variety of television shows he probably won’t like.
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