STAT’s Andrew Joseph writes that for all the talk of a second wave of coronavirus cases hitting the United States this fall, one consideration is often lost: The country is still in the throes of the first wave of this pandemic.
Even as roughly half of states start to peek out from under their lockdowns, the United States confirmed more than 25,000 new Covid-19 infections nearly every day in April, a clip that does not seem to be dropping in May, according to STAT’s Covid-19 Tracker. More than 1,000 people have died each day since April 2. On some days, including both Tuesday and Wednesday this week, the toll topped 2,000.
So if the curve has been flattened somewhat, it is not coming down.
Some states and cities are reporting hints of progress. In Massachusetts, hospitalizations have dropped, even if the number of deaths has not yet buckled. Newly confirmed cases are down in New York City. The Bay Area’s early shelter-in-place appears to have staved off the worst impacts of the crisis for now, and ensuing policies elsewhere helped minimize the pain.