U.S. COVID cases higher, hospitalizations up for second week in a row

[left-of-center2012]

(Reuters) - The United States reported an 8% rise in new cases of COVID-19 to 490,000 last week, the fourth week in a row that infections have increased, according to a Reuters analysis of state and county data.

In the week ended April 11, Michigan reported the highest number of new cases per capita of all 50 states and also led the country in hospitalizations per capita.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said Michigan should “shut down” to combat the surge in cases, hospitalizations and deaths. “The answer to that is to really close things down, to go back to our basics, to go back to where we were last spring, last summer, and to shut things down,” Walensky said at a news briefing on Monday.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-trends-graphic/u-s-covid-cases-march-higher-hospitalizations-up-for-second-week-in-a-row-idUSKBN2BZ2RP

[Ms. Toad]

1. Less shutting things down;

More getting people to take masking seriously. Masks work - but just when we start to improve, people get impatient and decide it's over and masks are irrelevant.

Ohio cases are going up. No surprise at all to me - I've been filing more complaints about businesses that are not enforcing the masking rules. In one business last week, 10/20 people were not wearing masks. The response of the business to my complaint: Nothing we can do. If they have a medical reason they don't have to wear them. Of course (1) the store I was complaining about wasn't doing anything (2) apparently the stores that do ask, instead of asking customers to put a mask on and dealing with the response - they are asking if they aren't wearing mask for medical reasons (to which, of course, they reply "yes, of course!)

They just don't get that the only safe way to deal with anti-maskers is to serve them outside of the business, since no HVAC system in the world is capable of cleaning up after 50% of the customers not wearing masks.

[roamer65]

2. No shirt, no shoes, no vaccine...no inside service!

Just like that bar in Denver.

[Ms. Toad]

6. I'm wiling to live with no vaccine as long as they mask.

Of course that means indoors at restaurants will be limited to vaccinated people, since you can't mask and eat simultaneously.

[samnsara]

3. our state just had 3 counties ( not ours thank doG) move back to phase 2..

...too many cov-idiots around. Hubby gives shots at the Pharmacy..we are a small rural town and most of us went to the fairgrounds last month when our number was called. He has assisted elderly neighbors with locating vaccines and told our closet neighbors he would schedule them in for a shot. They said they are still 'undecided'..hubby backs up to the 6 ft and says 'OK let me know!'...

[cinematicdiversions]

5. Good job by Hubby. I really worry about the elderly around me that are retireing in place

with their family mostly out of town. There are plenty of shots for everyone, but they need to go more outreach for those that are transportation challenged or not tech savvy.

[Johonny]

4. In my neighborhood much less mask wearing, much more normalized activity

Local market stop sanitizing carts, indoor eating, social gatherings etc...

We're only at 48% vaccinated with one dose. We're about two months from these activities but no one cares at the moment. At least the elderly are vaccinated over 70% now. But the 50 and younger are in for a surge in covid.