I dare say, this is the closest I’ve come to writing a positive story on the reported COVID cases in the US. Unfortunately, there are a few major “buts: qualifying my optimism. The overall detractor from anything positive is that there are currently almost six million confirmed cases in the US and the virus has been killed over 178,000 people. That’s inexcusable. However, new data suggests that our numbers have leveled off and are starting to decrease. My gawd! I was beginning to think we never hear those words.
Unfortunately, the other ‘but’ is that the main reason for the decreasing numbers are masks, and only those states that have a mask mandates in place are seeing the effects.
Following a dramatic surge of coronavirus cases between June and July, numbers across the United States have largely decreased, which experts attribute to local mask mandates and other precautionary measures, like restaurant and bar closures.
Although the U.S. still has one of the highest rates of infection in the world — and has reported the most confirmed cases and deaths — data shows that currently there are only 9 states where cases are still rising.
Among the states where cases are rising, four do not currently have statewide mask mandates: Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. All four states are also led by Republican governors.
Additionally, numbers are staying the same in 17 states — including California, New Alaska, California, Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
Although each state has taken a different approach to limiting the spread of COVID-19, all states experiencing a decrease in cases have some form of mask mandate in place and have largely put a hold on or reversed reopening policies, according to The New York Times.
South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control officials have found that areas where mask mandates are in place have “seen an overall decrease of 15.1 percent of total cases,” while cases in areas without a mask mandate rose by up to 30.4 percent.
Health officials in Kansas have reported similar findings, sharing that while new cases had dropped in counties with a mask mandate in place, there had been no decrease in areas without one.
The article also points out that both Texas and Florida’s numbers started to rise, so they shut the bars and restaurants down again and put in a mask mandate and the numbers in those states are decreasing. So we have statistical data that proves masks work in the fight to spread the virus. You’d think we’d all rejoice in this news and look forward to watching those numbers tumble from here on out. But there is still a section of society dedicated to opposing masks because, I don’t know, they’re on death’s side, I guess? I realize I’m preaching to the choir here; we all know that masks are effective and promote them. We also know that anti-maskers reading this scientific data will find a way to dismiss it as they swill the latest snake oil they picked up on their street corner. It’s just so exhausting.
However, I said this is almost a positive post so that’s where I will end it. Over 20 states in the US have seen their numbers drop while over a dozen more are holding. For us in California, that’s huge. And I believe anti-maskers are starting to feel the pinch. I was looking for an electrician recently and one guy on Yelp had over a decade of great reviews. But in the last three months, his reviews were terrible because folks reported that they’d called him for a quote but he refused to wear a mask, even when they provided a brand new one for him. He said he didn’t believe in them and would leave if they insisted on it. As far as I can tell, he hasn’t been hired in months and he has huge discount coupons on his site trying to get business. Hit ‘em in the pocketbook, that’ll change their minds. In the meantime, to all those sporting your masks that contributed to this ray of hope in this dreary existence – bravo! Pat yourselves on the back. Just make sure to wash your hands before and after you pat it.
Photo credit: Anna Shvets, Gustavo Fring and Pixabay from Pexels
I cannot emphasize enough that headlines like this need to be repeated time and time and time again, if we are going to get out of this mess and back to work, back to restaurants, back to school, back to life as we used to know it. ONE MESSAGE … wear masks, be distant and things will begin to turn around. Look at NY numbers. They had a strong leader who made some unpopular demands and things have moved strongly in the right direction. OK, off my soapbox. Sorry.
I read yesterday that China only has had 4700 deaths from covid. They locked down Wuhan, no traveling, groceries delivered to sick people and kept this thing contained. We’ve let it spread throughout the country and we are all paying for trump and most repub governors incompetence.
Spent a lot of years in China. One thing you can count on is they lie BIG TIME. So don’t put a lot of stock in their numbers. You’re 100% right this is all on Trump and the GOP. Do not get why people can’t see through it.
Who’d have thunk. A mask? distancing? Staying home? Ingenious!
Some would say it’s completely Bananas 🙂
right!?!?!
…and think the southern hemisphere is proving that, because of covid19 precautions the flu isn’t being spread around like it usually is!!!! so the “twindemic” isn’t actually a thing to stress over…just drama… IF we are successful in our covid mask and social distance behavior.
Where is New Alaska? Geez People magazine. They even listed California twice.
My elderly parents live in Florida and my dad is itching to go out again. He wants to start patio dining but I have firmly told him no (thankful my mom is SUPER responsible and didn’t want to go anywhere). If they want to be someplace where they have to take their masks off around other people, then they shouldn’t be there. My mom has health issues and I don’t want them to take any risks.
New Alaska = Russia ? (-;
Glad your mom is being careful in FL. Kids just started going back to school here Tampa Bay. We’ve already seen a handful of kids coming in sick at the pediatric office I work in. Strep and C19 seem to be the main culprits right now. And a PSA: Get ready for your flu vaccines, they should be available widely in your area soon (-: !
New Alaska is a magical kingdom where Sarah Palin is queen and the national anthem is super Christian conservative Palin rapping “Rumpshaker” on TV
The idea that some would willingly ruin their own businesses or professional reputations over a mask just boggles my mind. My dad has some clothing stores here in Canada, and he dislikes wearing a mask, but he does it anyway because he knows it’s the right thing to do. (He’s also put in plexiglass dividers at the register, has hand sanitizer available for customers to use, and so on.)
This idiot electrician is going to run himself into bankruptcy because he can’t be bothered to put a piece of cloth on his face? I just can’t with these people.
Numbers are staying the same in NY but they also have only a 1% positive test rate which is the lowest in the country right now. Gotta give credit where it’s due. I live in Illinois and while out numbers have dropped we are still at a 5-7% positive test rate. We also have a mask mandate.
I’m in Illinois as well, in Will County.
Today all restaurants and bars can no longer have patrons indoors, because the numbers were up for three consecutive days.
I still cannot understand how anyone would even WANT to go anywhere without a mask on.
The only place I travel to is the hospital for chemo treatments; and I am always afraid to be there, let alone thinking about a restaurant!
I live in a rural part of NY state and there are people who don’t believe in wearing masks and many of them are gathering together. It never hit as hard in low populated places, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see an increase, especially with schools and colleges starting up. Cities seem to be doing well though!
I decided to take a leave from my job as a special needs preschool speech pathologist, and truly hope that it is an unnecessary precaution. But I didn’t want to rely on a 3-year-old’s ability to keep a mask on mid-tantrum to protect my health. Luckily, I can swing an unpaid leave for a few months.
I live in Kansas in a county where masks are needed if in public and people like me are told we need to stay home and preferably indoors. Yet.. masks are barely worn! My spouse says very few wear them.. and the Times I have had to physically go to medical appts for tests.. you can see people not wearing masks. The next county over they do though. But my county is definitely has more Trumpsters.. that is the huge problem. They believe it’s a hoax and no one enforces the mask mandated :(.
Similar experience in my Southeast area, until cases spiked and the wave of deaths has become undeniable. We are just now (hopefully) seeing a leveling, after many outbreaks (mostly attributed to gatherings such as worship services, celebrations, etc.).
I read a similar observation from someone in the Northeast. Compliance replaced defiance, once the virus impact became obvious in a county or region.
I’m not sure why the article says that Texas shut down restaurants and bars again. Only bars closed down but were able to reopen if they classified as a restaurant, and restaurants never closed. They just reduced capacity.
That being said, school started back up about 2 weeks ago so I’m sure the numbers will increase again.
I live in NC and I wear a mask into buildings but I will not wear one while just being outside.
Am I being the only a-hole to remind everyone that our case numbers miraculously started coming down *after* we needed to funnel our stats through the White House?? Look at hospitalization rates and death rates to get a more accurate look at case numbers. Those are coming down too but with a less drastic drop. Real infection rate isn’t being reported accurately (except NY!)
I’m in Los Angeles and while the daily report shows cases decreasing, there’s been a disclaimer for like 6 weeks or so that says cases might be underreported due to issues with the lab. So…I really don’t know what to believe.
I live in Massachusetts, and although my small city is still struggling to lower the infection rate, I am relieved that everyone I see complies with mask regulations both inside and outside in the downtown area near me. The other day, I saw a group of young teenage boys riding their BMX bikes the wrong way down the street, acting tough and shouting at each other as they do, and each and every one of them was wearing a mask. Made me smile and put a tear in my eye.
My family is from MA and I’ve been there twice since March (from NY). Massachusians are very mask-compliant and I love it. Nice low infection/transmission rate there too. It boggles my mind that my neighbors in Brooklyn are more Lax than my parents’ in Cape Cod – but for their sake I’m very happy about it
I have a friend in SD that was in her office at work. Another coworker knocked and asked to come in. My friend forgot to put her own mask on. The coworker was already wearing hers. They spoke in her smallish office for several minutes.
The next morning the coworker called my friend and told her she didn’t feel well. She was tested and came back positive for covid. I’m convinced that my friend was spared the virus because that women remembered to wear her mask around other people.
I have co-workers who had a similar situation and testimonial for wearing masks. They are convinced that wearing masks spared several other co-workers from infection after a manager became symptomatic and tested positive*.
* The manager had a relative over for dinner (relative began having symptoms shortly after the visit and tested positive). Manager and a child in the household tested positive days later. Manager and co-workers had been wearing masks anytime they were in common areas, meetings, etc.