US coronavirus: Skip the July Fourth parties, experts warn

Of the 36 states whose new cases have gone up this week compared to the previous one, nine of them have increased by over 50%. They are Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Alaska and Delaware.

Despite the bleak milestones, people yearning for some normalcy are planning barbecues, dips in lakes and gatherings to watch fireworks. But some are finding beaches in Miami and Los Angeles closed, tubing in Texas rivers banned and some city celebrations happening mostly on live streams.

The order, signed Friday, says fireworks displays and gatherings with more than 100 people are allowed only if people view the celebrations from inside a vehicle. The order will remain in effect through at least Wednesday, August 26th. It also includes exceptions for gatherings of 10 or more people at religious services, youth camps, swimming pools and and certain sporting events.

“I think this is the real challenge we have,” Dr. Umair Shah, executive director of Harris County Public Health, told CNN Saturday. “It’s 4th of July now. All of us should be coming together as Americans to fight this pandemic. It is not just going to go away.”

Without stringent safety measures, health experts fear the holiday weekend could bring a wave of new infections that could overwhelm hospitals. To avoid a public health disaster, they’re imploring people to wear masks, skip bars and crowded places, and avoid mixing with people outside of their households.

“What we know is that our behavior is the most powerful tool we have right now against the virus,” said Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, surgeon general of California. “And we really need folks to, you know, step up. I know that folks are tired, but it’s absolutely critically important.”

Health care workers make plea to governor

The letter dated Thursday urged the governor to close bars and nightclubs and prohibit indoor gatherings of more than 25 people, including at places of worship. It also recommends a statewide face covering requirement that allows mayors and county officials to institute requirements appropriate for their jurisdictions.

“During the past week we have seen a sharp spike in cases that cannot be accounted for by increased testing. We also are seeing a very troubling increase in hospitalizations that, if continuing, will overwhelm our healthcare infrastructure, not only in metro Atlanta but also in rural Georgia,” the letter said.

Dr. Jesse Couk, the chair of infectious disease at Shepherd Center and a doctor at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, told CNN he worked with other doctors and health care professionals to create the letter after he became frustrated with lack of action after a spike in cases.

Couk and other medical contacts worked together to create the letter and have other health care professionals sign it. He said he wanted to highlight the need for increased social distancing and further restrictions to slow the spread, and was speaking as a member of the Infectious Disease Society of Georgia and not as a representative of Piedmont Atlanta.

More states make sweeping mask mandates

“We have the ability to keep businesses open and move our economy forward so that Texans can continue to earn a paycheck, but it requires each of us to do our part … and that means wearing a face covering in public spaces,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said.

Other governors have also issued statewide orders, including California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois and Michigan. And in Tennessee, Gov. Bill Lee signed an executive order granting mayors in 89 counties the authority to issue mask requirements. It allows local governments to issue the mandates if a surge requires more preventative measures.

“While our densely populated urban areas continue to have the highest Covid-19 case rates, our local governments expressed a need for greater flexibility in addressing a rise in cases and that includes setting stronger expectations around masks,” Lee said in a statement. “This targeted approach ensures we protect both lives and livelihoods and safely keep our economy open in Tennessee.”

In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the beaches will be open to thousands of visitors for the holiday weekend — but with a mask requirement to help stop the spread, Mayor Brenda Bethune said.

US commercial labs report testing delays

Rising demand for Covid-19 testing has led some major commercial laboratories to report delays in turning around test results.

Testing demands have reached “unprecedented levels,” commercial laboratory Quest Diagnostics said this week, leading to delays in notifying clients of their results.

Although Quest can provide results within a day for priority patients — including sick health care workers and people in the hospital — the average turnaround time is three to five days for most other patients, the company said in a statement Monday.

While the number of tests conducted across the US is increasing, experts say long turnaround times can make it difficult to isolate confirmed cases and quickly quarantine their close contacts.

Another commercial laboratory, LabCorp, is also reporting delays. The company told CNN in a statement Saturday that reporting test results may take one to two days longer now, leading to a current turnaround time of two to four days on average.

“In recent weeks, we have seen a steady increase in demand for molecular testing and we are doing everything we can to continue delivering results in a timely manner while continually increasing testing capacity,” LabCorp said.