By: Hannah Sang

On the morning of July 12, new reports showed that Florida had more than 15,299 new coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, marking a new record for the highest single-day total of coronavirus cases in the U.S. because public areas have reopened.

Just as other nations around the world slowly “flatten the curve,” the United States is doing just the opposite. The nation’s efforts to combat the coronavirus have been slowly brought down as the number of COVID-19 cases peak and continue to increase. Doctors and nurses on the frontline continue to battle against this pandemic.

Businesses and public attractions like Disney World have also slowly started to open up, causing this sudden surge in the amount of COVID-19 cases. Along with the reopening of Disney World, the Republican National Convention will also begin in Jacksonville during August. Public schools will be open five days a week once a new school year begins in August. Governor Ron DeSantis said, “If you can do Home Depot, if you can do Walmart, if you can do these things, we can absolutely do these schools.”

Meanwhile, many hospitals have lacked a crucial antivirus drug, causing more panic and fear. Hospitals have been overcrowded ever since the beginning of the pandemic. The sudden burst of cases and missing antiviral drugs have strained hospitals to their absolute limit, although hospitals are still trying their best to accommodate these conditions.

Other states such as Texas and California are also feeling the heat as the amount of cases surge. Counties are re-imposing curfews and restrictions on leaving houses, and some states are trying to mandate mask-wearing. Staying protected during this virus is key to stopping it from spreading.

However, certain people still refuse to take the coronavirus pandemic seriously and wear a mask. They believe that there is no need to wear a mask because they will stay perfectly healthy. Others are shocked that this happens and cannot believe that sometimes there aren’t any masks in public areas. The enforcement of mask-wearing is also becoming more difficult, and efforts to do so are not making much impact; some business owners have even given up.

Sources:

Original Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/12/us/florida-coronavirus-covid-cases.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/12/health/us-coronavirus-sunday/index.html