- Eighteen states in the United States are in the “red zone” for coronavirus cases, according to a White House document obtained by the Center for Public Integrity on Thursday.
- That means these states have reported more than 100 new cases for every 100,000 residents in the past week.
- The document, which had not been released, recommended that “red zone” states order the public use of masks, closed bars, and gyms, and limit social gatherings to 10 people or less.
- Here are all the states that fall into the “red zone”.
- Visit the Business Insider home page for more stories.
It is no secret that the US is above the coronavirus stream without a paddle.
Cases have risen astronomically in the past month, and corresponding hospitalizations and deaths have increased in hardest hit states like Arizona, California, and Texas.
Some states, like California, have been partially blocked in an effort to curb new infections: Governor Gavin Newsom closed all indoor activities and bars in the state on Monday. But according to a White House document obtained by the Center for Public Integrity (CPI) on Thursday, what California is doing is not enough.
California, along with 17 other states, is in the “red zone” for coronavirus cases, and should consider implementing stricter policies to prevent further spread, according to the document.
Those policy recommendations include: ordering the use of masks at all times outside the home, limiting social gatherings to 10 people or less, and closing bars, nightclubs, and gyms.
However, the document, which was prepared for the White House Coronavirus Task Force on July 14, has not been released anywhere until now.
“Just because it’s not public doesn’t make sense to me,” Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Institute of Global Health, told CPI on Thursday. “Why are we hiding this information from the American people? This should be published and updated every day.”
Which states are in the ‘red zone’ according to the White House?
Medical staff pushes a stretcher with a deceased patient outside the COVID-19 intensive care unit at United Memorial Medical Center on June 30, 2020 in Houston, Texas.
Go Nakamura / Getty Images
The document listed that the following states reported more than 100 new cases for every 100,000 residents between July 7 and July 14, classifying them as the “red zone”:
- Alabama
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Mississippi
- Arizona
- North Carolina
- California
- Nevada
- Florida
- Oklahoma
- Georgia
- South Carolina
- Idaho
- Tennessee
- Iowa
- Texas
- Kansas
- Utah
Over the past week, the US added an average of 62,200 new coronavirus cases per day to its staggering total infections, which exceeded 3.5 million cases Thursday. That count was increased Sunday by Florida, which reported the highest single-day coronavirus increase in a state ever recorded: 15,300 cases.
Most experts point to premature state reopens as the source of this second surge in infections: 21 states loosened closure restrictions in May without White House criteria to resume business operations and social activities.
Those guidelines said states should see a two-week decrease in cases or a two-week decrease in the proportion of coronavirus tests that return positive before reopening.
John Landin of Las Vegas celebrates after winning a hand of blackjack during the reopening of The D hotel-casino in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada on June 4, 2020.
Steve Marcus / Reuters
The White House document obtained by CPI also stipulated that 10 of those 18 “red zone” states, plus Washington, were also listed in the “red zone for the positivity test,” meaning that more than 10% of Coronavirus testing in the state returned with positive results in the last week.
The top ten states on both “red zone” lists are: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, South Carolina, and Texas.
Policy recommendations for states in red zones
According to CPI, White House coronavirus task force response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx may have referenced a version of the document at a press conference on July 8.
During the conference, he said the document was updated weekly and that recommendations on how to curb the spread of the community were sent to state governors.
Those recommendations include encouraging state residents to limit their meetings to no more than 10 people and reduce their interactions and public activities to 25% of normal levels.
The document also recommends that state officials order the public use of masks, nearby bars and gyms, and create opportunities for outdoor dining.
On July 4, 2020 in Morristown, Arizona, a sign is displayed reminding people to wear a face mask.
Christian Petersen / Getty Images
But governors in some “red zone” states don’t seem to be following those suggestions.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed an executive order banning local mask mandates in the state on Wednesday.
“Any state, county or municipal law, order, ordinance, rule or regulation that requires people to wear face shields, masks, face shields or any other personal protective equipment while in public accommodation or on public property is suspended , “the order read.
Kemp’s order came a week after Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms ordered the masks in Georgia’s largest city. Kemp is also suing the city for her mask mandate.
