- Public health experts are watching several COVID-19 hot spots around the country, including areas of Florida and Michigan.
- Currently, 27 states are showing increases in COVID-19 cases of 5 percent or more.
- Many experts are concerned that the highly contagious B.1.1.7 variant first identified in the United Kingdom could drive a fourth uptick in cases.
- Many states are also rolling back mask mandates and other physical distancing measures while vaccine distribution struggles to keep up with demand.
- The United States is continuing to average around 58,000 new cases per day, which is comparable to the summer of 2020.
Thousands of spring break revelers have packed the streets of Miami Beach.
Florida’s lax COVID-19 restrictions are likely a draw for many visitors this year.
Declaring a “state of emergency,” the city expanded its pandemic curfew this past weekend. It now starts at 8 p.m. — a change that could last well into next month.
Few in the crowds are wearing masks. There’s little to no physical distancing. The partygoers have come from around the country, and some experts fear Florida’s spring break could become the next superspreader event.
Right now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists Florida as having more than
But the agency also says that number is only a sample of the specimens. The true number is likely higher.
“What concerns me is the footage of what’s happening [with] spring breakers and people who are not continuing to implement prevention strategies.” said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, during a recent White House press conference.
Source: healthline