If you pay attention to the news, like so many have been doing this year, you’ll likely notice that the amount of COVID-19 cases in your area may fluctuate every single day. They go up and down, depending on your location. With that said, the numbers seem to be trending upward in a number of areas, thanks to things like college students returning to campus, sporting events, and people starting to let their guard down a bit. It’s expected that some areas, particularly urban areas, will become hotspots, meaning that the movements of those living in them will be even more restricted as extra precautions are taken. If you’re unsure how to tell if you’re living in a COVID-19 hotspot or not, let’s explore the signs together.
COVID-19 Hotspot Map
A handy map, created by the New York Times, shows an accurate estimate of how many COVID-19 cases there are in every state of the U.S. The map is clickable, so you can narrow it down to just the county in which you reside. It’s also updated every day, based on reliable information, making it easy to tell when an outbreak is happening. The colors on the map change, according to the number of cases in an area. Red spots obviously indicate hotspots, where the amount of cases has risen drastically over the past two weeks, or 14 days. Other colors, ranging from dark orange to pale orange indicate the severity of your county, with lighter colors showing that there are fewer cases around you. Paying attention to this map can mean the difference between remaining healthy or contracting COVID-19, so it should guide your travel and social decisions.
What to Do If You’re in a Hotspot
If you find yourself living in a coronavirus hotspot, the best thing that you can do is stay home and limit your contact with others. Heading to the grocery store is okay in many areas, as long as social distancing and mask-wearing guidelines are followed. Of course, if you’re sick or have been around someone who has symptoms of COVID-19, in order to avoid spreading the illness, you should have groceries delivered in order to minimize your contact with the outside world. Additionally, the 14-day quarantine is still in effect for those who are sick or have been around someone who has tested positive for the virus.
Staying Out of Hotspots
While traveling around or out of the country isn’t recommended at all at this time and many states still have quarantine restrictions in place, it’s very important to check the hotspot map should you absolutely need to travel. Sometimes a work trip can’t be avoided. However, if you check the map and see that your bosses have you heading for a hotspot, you should explain to them that it simply isn’t safe, especially if you live with someone who is elderly or immunocompromised. This doesn’t mean that it’s open season to travel to non-hotspot zones, either. If you’re traveling for fun and enjoyment, it’s still recommended that you cancel your vacation and turn it into a staycation. After all, you don’t want to end up in a hotspot if thing change, or spread the virus around to others, if you’re one of the people who carries it asymptomatically.
Avoiding COVID-19 hotspots isn’t a sure science, but being proactive and following CDC guidelines can definitely help you remain as safe and healthy as possible as we navigate the “new normal” of 2020 together.