covid 19, US .
After experiencing months of dreaded increase of COVID 19 cases through late fall and early winter, the United State is finally seeing a national decline in numbers. But even as new COVID cases begin to plateau throughout most of the nation, many areas continue to see a consistent rise in infection rates. According to recent figures, there currently four states where there is still an “extremely high risk” of contracting COVID. Read on to see which places are most widely affected, and for more on how COVID is spreading where you live
Given the severity of the outbreak, spending time inside with people from other households puts you at risk for getting the coronavirus or spreading it to others,” public health officials at Johns Hopkins University who analyzed the data wrote.
People in counties that are at the highest risk level are advised to avoid indoor activities, including “indoor dining, bars, gyms, movie theaters, and nonessential shopping, as well as having friends over to your home, and indoor personal care services like haircuts and manicures,” the Times reports. It’s also recommended that all non-essential travel should be avoided, as well as events with “more than a handful of people” such as sporting events, weddings, funerals, and concerts.
While newly reported COVID cases may be on a downward curve nationwide, many areas’ new COVID infection rates are decreasing from such astronomical numbers that there’s still a high likelihood of community transmission. And according to a county-by-county data visualization map prepared by The New York Times, large areas of the U.S. are still at the highest risk level with more than 640 cases reported per 100,000 people during the past two weeks—including four states where all or all but one county fall into the highest risk tier.
