Surge prompts new UK lockdown

Public health officials keep urging compliance with COVID precautions despite growing numbers of people "tired" of wearing masks

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Exactly one year ago, the World Health Organization announced to the world that there was a worrisome new infectious disease spreading rapidly in Wuhan, China.

World Health Organization (WHO) @WHO

#China has reported to WHO a cluster of #pneumonia cases —with no deaths— in Wuhan, Hubei Province 🇨🇳 . Investigations are underway to identify the cause of this illness.

A year later, the United Kingdom now faces an abrupt, near-total lockdown, large parts of the United States are in severe crisis mode, and best-case scenarios forecast more than 100,000 additional COVID-19 deaths in the USA in just the next 60 days. There have been around 85 million cases of COVID-19 worldwide and nearly 2 million deaths. The USA has nearly 25% of that toll.

Dark red represents counties with severe outbreaks based on the daily rate of new cases, the test positivity rate and the total number of new cases.

Even with vaccines moving out, the next several months are going to be deadly and difficult.

Some details and other headlines:

With the recently discovered, more virulent strain spreading, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson declared the highest level of COVID-19 alert - Level 5, meaning everyone stays home except for a few limited exceptions.

The new, more contagious coronavirus strain has been confirmed in New York. Previously it rocked the United Kingdom and many other places.

Nearly 3 million people in the United States have been given their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

With about 1 million people flying across the USA each day during the holidays and millions more traveling by car, the CDC is urging people to take extra precautions after getting home, especially if they traveled overseas. From the CDC:

• Get tested 3-5 days after travel AND stay home for 7 days after travel.

  • Even if you test negative, stay home for the full 7 days.

  • If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.

• If you don’t get tested, it’s safest to stay home for 10 days after travel.

• Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not.

Source: CDC

Meanwhile, the CDC is also out with an interesting graphic to urge precautions:

CDC @CDCgov

We can do it! We can #SlowTheSpread of #COVID19. Stay home if you can, #WearAMask, stay at least 6 feet apart from others, avoid crowds, and wash your hands often with soap and water. Learn more: bit.ly/2X0zmwc.

That’s it for today. Please keep wearing your mask, washing your hands and watching your space (and your air.)