Key Developments In The US – Covid-19 Restrictions

There are many quarters that believe that Covid-19 may actually be leaving the globe. And that the worst of the pandemic might be over. Many nations are now wary of the virus and its infectious nature. As it is, it has hit many nations economically, so people want to just come out of it.

Key Developments In The US – Covid-19 Restrictions

That is one reason why many nations have not enforced strict mandates in the wake of the Omicron variant. In fact, many nations which had enforced some mandates on public policing have started lifting bans. Some of the public health experts are also questioning the stance taken by many US and European nations on mask-wearing and social distancing.

However, there are still many nations that are not easing out the restrictions any time soon. Denmark is amongst the few countries that have decided to lift the ban on restrictions. Covid-19 has been removed from the Critical illness category.

From Feb 1, Denmark has been declared open. This shows that the vaccination program in Denmark has been a huge success. In the UK, in places like England, the citizens do not have to show their vaccine passes any longer. Moreover, all venues like nightclubs and pubs are also open. Masks are also not mandated any longer. However, they still have to be worn in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

However, the US seems to be waiting for some good news, like the dipping Covid-19 curve. There are far too many cases of severe illness and hospitalizations in the US, as compared to other nations. So, maybe it is too early for the US to drop their guards.

In the last few days, there have been more than 500,000 cases and above 1,000 deaths. Thus, the government is encouraging people to get vaccinated and also taking boosters. It may slow down the hospitalizations to a huge extent. Thus, the CDC is of the opinion that everybody should strictly practice the Covid-19 protocols, like washing hands frequently, maintaining distance from crowds, and so on.

Many of the states and cities are deciding on case-to-case transmission rates as to how and why mandates should be eased off. The country has already seen a high rate of transmission. Therefore, mandates cannot be eased all of a sudden without the curve showing any signs of dipping.

The community transmission rate is a key parameter that the authorities are relying on, today. The CDC is also in the process of maintaining metrics such as the above to decide if restrictions should be eased or not. The CDC is measuring and tracking the course of the virus on a daily basis. If any community has less than ten cases for a lac citizen then it can be surely considered low positivity. And, if it crosses 100, it can be termed as a high rate of positivity.

Many counties in the US are in the red zone at present. The situation is not at all good and looking up when it comes to transmission rates in the US. Hospitalizations Are also increasing on a daily basis. Many unvaccinated people have to be rushed to the ICU as well. Texas and Hawaii are amongst the places that have low levels of positivity. According to the US Senator, the whole country seems to be in red in reality. That is a cause for concern. So, the US may not be lowering the restrictions any time soon.

The government has stated that, if the positivity rate falls, and the county can be shifted to the yellow zone, then only mandates can be eased off.