A couple of weeks ago, Brown students were notified about a recent surge in COVID-19 cases among students and faculty on campus. Though our infection rate remained at an unconcerning 0.15%, the news undoubtedly created some stress, especially on the eve of Halloweekend. While the university remains impressively COVID free, the rest of the nation faces the largest spike in cases, to date. On Friday, October 30th, the U.S. reported its worst day since the pandemic began; 99,000 cases were cataloged nationwide. According to The New York Times, “Sixteen states reported single-day records for new cases […]: Iowa, Kentucky, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Montana, Illinois, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Oregon, Kansas, Ohio, Colorado and Maine. And three states hit record deaths: Tennessee, Montana and New Mexico.” Many of these states boasted relatively low infection rates during the spring, when California, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut were experiencing large and uncontrollable outbreaks. Now, however, southern and midwestern states, as well as more rural areas, are confronting the dire circumstances of a second wave. Even more alarming, both hospitalizations and deaths reveal an upward trend nationwide.
While it is unclear what specifically is causing the current surge, officials point to “quarantine fatigue” as a major player. Since phased openings have been occurring in many states since May, citizens are understandably eager to jump back into normal life. However, states that have eased restrictions on indoor dining or group gatherings too hastily are now suffering the consequences. Simply put, people are tired of social distancing, and state officials are tired of enforcing it. Additionally, the departure of warm weather leaves many transitioning indoors, where COVID-19 aerosols are proven to spread more quickly. At present, it is uncertain how winter weather will affect the numbers as the pandemic overlaps with flu season. If the current trends continue, the winter could bring daily cases and death tolls to new, tragic heights.
In addition to these factors, the surge may also reflect the failure of certain politicians in promoting safe public health practices. For example, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, a Republican, echoes the common sentiment of her party against a universal mask mandate. In a recent press conference, she asserted that there is “very mixed research” regarding face coverings and “science has not proven what’s effective and what isn’t.” In actuality, science has proven that mask wearing reduces transmission to a fraction of a percent. As Donald Trump continues to hold large rallies unmasked, even after having the virus himself, other political leaders follow suit.
Given the dangerously high infection rate across many states, Dave Rubin, of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, explains, “inevitably, we’re moving into a phase where there’s going to need to be restrictions again.” At this point, the future remains uncertain. However, all Americans– from frontline workers to college students –must prepare themselves for a challenging winter and, perhaps, new health and safety protocols. For now, it is vital to continue to wear a mask, wash your hands regularly, and keep gatherings small, in order to prevent even more devastation at the hands of this virus.