Why Are Covid Cases Going Up Again?

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Although the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be subsiding, experts are continuing to monitor new cases of the disease for trends that may indicate the future of the pandemic. Recently, there’s been a spike in case numbers across the country, with some locations having as many as three times the number of new daily cases as they did a month ago. Read on below for the latest information on why COVID-19 cases are rising again.

The statistics

While case numbers in the country as a whole remain relatively stable, some areas have seen case numbers rising steeply over the last few weeks. Most notably, California’s average daily new case numbers have risen to over 10,000 as of a week ago. In March of this year, that number dipped below 3,000 new cases per day.

The most recent data shows that the average daily number of new cases in the country as a whole hovers just under 59,000. In mid-March, that number was sometimes as low as 29,000. Thankfully, average daily new case numbers are still far from the worst they’ve been, as they climbed as high as 750,000 cases per day in January.

People are being less cautious

It’s been over two years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and many people are growing sick of restrictions and guidelines. Long periods of quarantining at home have taken a toll on the mental and emotional health of many, and it seems that some people are experiencing “quarantine fatigue.”

Many people have abandoned masks and social distancing completely except for where it’s legally required.

Restrictions have been lifted virtually everywhere

Not only are people choosing to be less cautious with health measures, but the majority of areas have also completely eliminated all coronavirus-related restrictions.

The federal mask mandate for airplanes and other forms of public transportation was recently struck down, and long periods of time in an enclosed airplane or bus can easily spread COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

Are deaths and hospitalizations going up?

Although average case numbers seem to be spiking again, death and hospitalization numbers are staying relatively low. In fact, the average number of COVID-related deaths per day has been going down steadily since January of this year. This may be in part due to the rising number of fully vaccinated individuals, as over 66% of Americans have now received both doses of the vaccine, and nearly 50% have also received a booster shot.

Will mandates and restrictions return?

The current spike in case numbers isn’t enough to trigger reinstated mandates and restrictions in most places, but some areas have a plan to bring back safety guidelines if case numbers continue to rise.

To an extent, rising case numbers are to be expected as people resume their regular daily activities. As new data continues to come out, experts will monitor the situation and advise government officials on how to go about making new regulations.