By Marsha Mullings, MPH
USA
Cases: 80 million
Deaths: 978,000
Florida
Cases: 5.8 million
Deaths: 73,027
Update
- New Coronavirus cases continue to decrease but the pace of the decrease has slowed, due to the BA.2 Omicron subvariant. New coronavirus cases are rising in some northeastern and southern states.
- COVID-19 deaths are still high. The average number of deaths is 1,000 dailies across the US.
- An average of 1,248 new coronavirus cases were reported in Florida over the previous week. Cases have decreased by 14% over the last two weeks.
- The Omicron subvariant, BA.2 is circulating in South Florida. The subvariant is more transmissible that the original Omicron variant but does not seem to result in more severe disease.
Mask Guidance
The CDC has issued guidelines for mask usage in the prevention of COVID-19. The recommendations are based on the level of COVID-19 in the community.
Low: Wear a mask based on your personal preference, informed by your personal level of risk.
Medium: If you are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness – talk to your healthcare provider about additional precautions, such as wearing masks or respirators indoors in public.
If you live with or have social contact with someone at high risk for severe illness – consider testing yourself for infection before you get together and wearing a mask when indoors with them.
High: Wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status or individual risk (including in K-12 schools and other community settings).
If you are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness – wear a mask or respirator that provides you with greater protection.
South Florida (Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Palm Beach Counties) is at a medium level of community spread. Mask usage should be considered within the context of this level of COVID-19 in the community.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html
For more information on coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention, visit www.FloridaHealth.org; nyt.com; www.coronavirus.jhu.edu; www.cdc.gov;
