CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla. (NBC) – Coronavirus cases continue to spike in the South and West, with five states hitting daily records for reported cases.
It has been nearly two months since several states started reopening. Now, there are growing concerns that some may have moved too fast, too soon.
With summer in full swing, coronavirus hot spots have migrated from the Northeast to states across the South and West, including Florida, where there’s also been a major shift in who’s contracting it.
Governor Ron DeSantis said, “Half of these positive tests are in that 34-and-under age group, and the bulk of the tests that we’re seeing are the 25-to-34-year-olds.”
Texas — one of the first states to reopen — just recorded its highest daily increase, nearly 5,500 new cases. Governor Greg Abbott said the spread is so rampant, the safest place is at home.
Arizona and California also marking record single-day increases.
Nurses on the front line say the road to recovery can be taxing. Los Angeles nurse Jen Swanson explained, “These hospitalizations last longer, on average… like a week at least. Two weeks maybe more. And that’s a really long time for a patient to be isolated.”
The recent spikes are also raising concerns about hospital capacity. Arizona says 84% of its ICU beds are currently occupied.
Part of the problem is a false sense among some young people that the virus won’t seriously affect them.
In some cases it can be deadly, recently claiming the life of a 17-year-old high school student in the Fort Myers area.
Despite the warnings, not everyone is taking precautions while others say it’s about keeping everyone safe.
Wear the face cover then you’re not infecting anybody and you’re taking care of your neighbor.
New rules in Clearwater Beach and Pinellas County will go into effect just before sunset Wednesday, requiring people to wear masks but only when they are indoors in businesses. But in other parts of the state, notably in Miami, folks will have to wear masks when they are outdoors. It’s a confusing patchwork as Florida rapidly becomes the new epicenter.
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