STAY YOU A** AT HOME! VIRGINIA SEES NEW RECORD HIGHS IN COVID-19 CASES

There has been a lot of promising news recently released about possible solutions for the COVID-19 pandemic. A number of new vaccines and therapeutic medications are being approved for trials and early distribution almost daily. Most vaccines are set to reach the general public sometime in 2021. That is really promising. However, what’s happening right now is down-right stark. What’s happening in Virginia right now is bleak and we need to be more vigilant than ever.

I must admit that I struggle with being more active in December than I was in March. In March, April, May, we were really shut down. People were scared. We weren’t going out to restaurants or sporting events. We were still trying to figure out the path of this novel virus. Today, a lot of people have gotten tired or comfortable, and feel they understand how to protect themselves. The problem is whatever we are doing is not working. Virginia is being rocked right now. We need to go back to our March, April, May mentality.

I know what I’m saying is truly impossible for so many people. People have to do certain things for survival. People have to go to work. People have to go to the grocery store. People have to go to the doctor, or check on elderly loved ones, etc. I understand people need to do what they have to. However, there are a lot of things we don’t have to do. Taking extra precautions right now will save lives.

I know I’m on my soapbox but here are the recent numbers: The Virginia Department of Health reported that 3,915 new cases were reported on Thursday. That number is the second-highest daily increase since the pandemic started in the Commonwealth. On Wednesday, the state reported 4,398 new cases.

Virginia is now averaging nearly 3,800 new cases per day over the last week. Virginia’s six highest days of COVID-19 cases were all in the past six days.*

VDH reports 343 new cases in the Richmond region (Chesterfield: 95, Henrico: 157, and Richmond: 91).* All of these numbers are up.

These recent numbers have moved to new state restrictions and triggered most virtual school mandates. The national spike is killing college athletics (which shouldn’t be playing anyway), and the increase is really causing havoc throughout the state.

What can we do about it?

You guessed it: STAY YOU A** AT HOME!

If you don’t have to go out — don’t. Wear a mask. Protect yourself and other.

*COVID stats from RTD’s Sabrina Moreno article (VDH). Region numbers from Ross Catrow (VDH).

Cover photo courtesy of  via Getty Images