The days
are getting shorter and the temperatures colder, and as winter approaches,
coronavirus deaths are
climbing.
As
coronavirus cases surge, states and cities across the nation are ramping up
restrictions to curb the spread.
From New
Jersey, where officials are tightening restrictions on social gatherings, all
the way to California, where the state’s
face covering mandate is being strengthened.
"We are seeing community spread broadly now throughout the state of
California," says California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The reason
for ramped up restrictions is that it’s
getting worse.
The United
States added 1 million cases in six days –
topping 11 million total on Sunday.
Hospitalizations
are also up at record levels – topping 73,000 on Monday,
according to the COVID Tracking Project.
Dr.
Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infections disease expert, says roughly 1,000 people are
dying every day on average.
The wave
of infections, hospitalizations and deaths comes as Americans look ahead to the
holidays longing to gather with loved ones, and many experts warn against it.
Meanwhile,
the Trump administration continues to stonewall the transition to President-elect Joe Biden’s administration. Biden
himself had a dire warning.
"More
people may die if we don't coordinate. If we have to wait until Jan. 20
to start that planning, it puts us behind over a month, month and a half."
On Monday,
there were more than 133,000 new coronavirus cases in the U.S., according to
Johns Hopkins University.