Social distancing mandates may return to many states throughout the country because of the recent fall surge of the novel coronavirus, CNN reports.
The University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation projects that the fall and winter surge of COVID-19 has begun, and it will only get worse as the country moves into November and December.
- The peak will hit in January.
States may institute new rules to combat the surge.
- “Many states will face enormous pressure on hospital capacity and will likely have to re-impose some social distancing mandates,” the IHME said, according to CNN. “The best strategy to delay re-imposition of mandates and the associated economic hardship is to expand mask use.”
The White House coronavirus task force recently said in a report (obtained by CNN) that there are some ”early signs of deterioration in the Sun Belt and continued deterioration in the Midwest and across the Northern States.”
The potential of social distancing mandates returning comes as many states see themselves at a loss for next steps as the fall COVID-19 surge begins.
- “I don’t know what to do anymore,” Utah state epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn said Thursday, according to the Deseret News.
- “For the first time in this, as a physician, I’m scared to see what’s to come,” Dr. Eddie Stenehjem, Intermountain Healthcare’s medical director of infectious disease, said Thursday, the Deseret News reported.