Covid seems to be really starting to spread as it gets colder

[Quixote1818]

Several things that cause viruses to be worse in the winter are:

1. Low humidity indoors causing saliva to evaporate off the virus so it floats around in the air longer

2. People go indoors

3. Less sunlight so people are not getting enough vitamin D.


In a month it could be pretty bad. The only good thing about this is far fewer Republicans have voted early and by mail. If covid is spiking on election day across the country, it could drive down people waiting to vote for fear of getting sick. This would give Dems a huge advantage. I hate to see it going up but Trump gambled on discouraging early voting for Republicans. This could be the dumbest political error for quite some time.

Coronavirus cases set new single-day records in six U.S. states and worldwide

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/coronavirus-cases-set-new-single-day-records-six-u-s-n1242828?fbclid=IwAR1cTMoiGo1-c7ePGKhGgpiSupq7QXB4gtE4qfjiRUhKG1J0MRK-arleOcE

Winter will make the pandemic worse. Here’s what you need to know.
https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/10/08/1009650/winter-will-make-the-pandemic-worse/

[tanyev]

1. Many are getting more and more lax about mask-wearing and social distancing.

That’s more likely the main reason, although being outdoors gives those who aren’t careful a greater margin of error.

[customerserviceguy]

3. Agreed

I think it's "Covid fatigue". We've been living with this since March at the very least, and people who don't know someone who died are just dropping their guard.

The spirit that got us through WWII just isn't there anymore.

[Shermann]

2. I suspect 2 and 3 are overstated

The humidity factor seems to be really significant though. The lower humidity you get with heating systems during the colder seasons allows the virus to spread instead of getting knocked down.

This can be mitigated however by humidification systems. You don't really hear much about this though? I know that filtration systems in places like malls are getting upgraded. They really should be looking at humidity as well.

[enough]

4. Interesting that the time frame is exactly as predicted back in March: it was going to

come back “in the fall” and getting worse as fall progresses. It’s just starting to happen and will take a while.

[Ms. Toad]

5. and schools started back up, with many of our little super-spreaders in attendance. n/t

[rurallib]

6. and football games from HS to Pro

[Ms. Toad]

7. I think they should have stayed closed -

But I think they are less likely to be contributors than in person school, especially in places where they have decided it's OK for kids to go maskless.

[roamer65]

8. I would recommend that people voluntarily go back to late March style shutdown rules.

As much as you all can.