TOPLINE
As the virus breaks out in South and West America, politicians team up with health officials to sound the alarm about home parties as potential super-spreaders, even when faced with reality, they have few tools to prevent them from happening.
HOLLYWOOD BEACH, FL – JUNE 26: People are seen walking on the Hollywood Beach Boardwalk like Florida … [+]
KEY FACTS
Arizona, Florida, Nevada and South Carolina reported a new record for new daily Covid-19 cases again on Saturday.
Health officials say the resurgence of the virus can be traced not in nursing homes, but in bars and house parties.
Multiple outbreaks in the past few weeks have been traced to individual house parties, and Pinecrest, Florida Mayor Joseph Corradino warned residents this week that “private house parties” are the most dangerous spread of the virus in the area.
Several governors have moved to impose new coronavirus restrictions on their states in recent days, and Florida and Texas ordered the closure of bars on Friday.
But unlike bars, lawmakers can’t just shut down parties at home, and stay-at-home orders (which all states have revoked) can only do so much in one country that would generally prevent the government from imposing restrictions On private property.
In a statement, Corradino acknowledged that the only thing he could do to prevent outbreaks resulting from home parties was “to appeal to the common sense and decency of our citizens” even though he said he “understands the fatigue of this situation.”
Crucial quote
“I think a lot of what we’re seeing with younger people if they’re partying at someone’s house or something like that is that they’re probably not wearing masks, let’s be honest,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said.
Key background
Young people now account for a much higher number of coronavirus infections in the United States. While health officials say young people have a much lower risk of developing severe coronavirus symptoms, they pose a major problem because they can unknowingly transmit the virus to the elderly. , which die at much higher rates.
Tangent
In March the New York Times reported on a house party in Westport, Connecticut, that epidemiologists say may have been at the center of the state’s initial Covid outbreak.
Further reading
House parties are ‘the most dangerous things,’ a mayor of South Florida tells his cityMiami Herald)
Florida mayor urges people to give up “private house parties” (Axios)
Florida, Arizona, Nevada, South Carolina: everyone counts the record number of coronavirus infections, again (Forbes)
Coronavirus increase in Florida, Arizona, Texas is not the same as New York crisisWall street journal)
Party Zero: How an evening in Connecticut turned into a ‘Super Spreader’ (New York Times)
