Is The Coronavirus Crisis Over?
As quarantine fatigue sets in, states continue to lift lockdowns, and people (justifiably) focus on the public health crisis of systemic racism, many are wondering if the coronavirus pandemic is over. Or, at the very least, not as much of a problem.
The answer? Nope. Absolutely not. No. The pandemic is not over and it is still a very real issue.
As of this week, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world has exceeded over 6.6 million. In the United States, more than 1.8 million cases have been recorded and more than 108,000 people have died so far from COVID-19.
It’s a major health risk to ignore the pandemic or think it’s no longer a threat — especially given the fact that a large number of people don’t display any symptoms of the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that around 35% of COVID-19 infections are symptomless. Other data from Iceland found that up to 50% of people who tested positive for COVID-19 didn’t show any symptoms.
Many people could be spreading the disease ― especially now, when people aren’t as concerned about it ― without knowing it. That puts people over the age of 65, those with preexisting conditions and many others in danger. (Even children, who were once thought to not experience as severe consequences from COVID-19.)
A few glimmers of good news have surfaced regarding the virus: Scientists are making progress on treatments and vaccines. Experts have said that the virus doesn’t spread as easily outdoors and that your chances of contracting it in a pool aren’t high if you’re not around a ton of people ― welcome discoveries given that summer is almost here.
Alberto Zangrillo, the head of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, told Reuters last Sunday that he is anecdotally finding that the coronavirus may be losing its potency. The viral load in patients arriving at the hospital appeared to be much smaller compared to a few months ago, he said. (Experts stress...