Is There a Safe Way to Socialize Indoors This Winter?
Summer is often the most social season, with backyard barbecues, dips in the lake and walks in the park. Earlier in the pandemic—at least in the northern hemisphere—it was still possible to do these types of outdoor activities safely with other people at a distance. But as temperatures in the U.S. drop and COVID-19 infections rise in nearly every state, the shift from social season to shut-in season feels even more stark.
“After a summer of seeing friends outside, I've been dreading what will happen when the weather gets cold,” says my colleague Jamie Ducharme. “I've had many conversations with friends and family about what our social lives will look like this winter—and what we'll do for the holidays—so I decided to go straight to the experts.”
Gathering indoors is more dangerous because when an infected person breathes or talks, the virus they expel can linger in the air. Outdoors, natural ventilation blows it away, but indoors, aerosols can build up over time—even when people are spaced six feet apart.
Knowing this, Jamie wondered if there was a way to socialize safely inside. The answer: not exactly, experts told her—but if you wear masks, pick a large space (think malls and museums over living rooms and restaurants), open windows and keep sessions small and short, you can at least make the experience a little safer.
Still, outside hangs remain the best choice. “Even more than adults, kids are comfortable being outside,” one infectious disease expert told Jamie. Try to summon the resilience of children by playing in the snow or setting up short outdoor playdates.
Americans are going to have to make hard choices about how (and whether) to socialize this winter. “Writing this piece confirmed that there's no easy way to see friends and family inside in the ways we all want to,” says Jamie, who bought a warmer coat to help extend her outdoor hangouts this winter. “There won't be any risk-free meet-ups or parties for a while.”
More than 43.9 million people around the world had been diagnosed with COVID-19 as of 1 a.m. E.T. today, and more than 1.1 million people have died. Here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:
On Oct. 27, there were 421,778 new cases and 6,843 new deaths confirmed globally. Here's how the world as a whole is currently trending:
Here is every country with over 500,000 confirmed cases:
Drugmakers Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline announced today that they will provide 200 million doses of their COVID-19 vaccine candidate, if approved, to COVAX, an international coalition of governments and health and philanthropic organizations created to give countries equitable access to coronavirus vaccinations. The vaccine—being co-developed by the two pharmaceutical giants—is currently in Phase 2 trials; results are anticipated in December before Phase 3 trials begin.
As the coronavirus continues to rage across France, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a second national lockdown in a televised address today, the BBC reports. Under the new rules, which start Friday, people will only be allowed to leave their homes for medical reasons or essential work. Bars, restaurants and other non-essential businesses will close, while schools and factories will stay open; the new rules will last at least through November.
The Situation in the U.S.
The U.S. had recorded more than 8.7 million coronavirus cases as of 1 a.m. E.T. today. More than 226,691 people have died. Here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:
On Oct. 27, there were 73,240 new cases and 985 new deaths confirmed in the U.S. Here's how the country as a whole is currently trending:
Washington, Oregon, Nevada and California will independently review any coronavirus vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before it’s made available to residents, the San Francisco Chroniclereports. California governor Gavin Newsom was the first to announce such a plan, saying on Oct. 19 that his state would convene a scientific committee to review FDA data to ensure safety and efficacy. The goal is to build public trust in the vaccine-approval process, which has become highly politicized during this election year. However, critics argue the move may further undermine faith in the FDA.
While South Dakota’s Republican governor Kristi Noem has been downplaying the pandemic despite rising cases, hospitalizations, and deaths across her state, local medical organizations are banding together to promote mask-wearing and social distancing, the Associated Press reports. “Masking is a simple act that each one of us can participate in and it can save lives,” Dr. Benjamin Aaker, president of the South Dakota State Medical Association, told the AP. “If you mask, that life could be your mother, father, your friend, or even your own.” Even though the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people wear face coverings in public, Noem has not promoted the practice.
Right after the Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series last night, spectators learned that L.A. third baseman Justin Turner tested positive for COVID-19. Turner was removed from Game 6 after officials learned of his result, but he joined his team on the field after the game to celebrate, at times unmasked. It was an unsettling end to a shortened Major League Baseball (MLB) season that was nearly derailed by outbreaks early on. “Following the Dodgers’ victory, it is clear that Turner chose to disregard the agreed-upon joint protocols and the instructions he was given regarding the safety and protection of others,” the MLB, which is investigating the situation, said in a statement today.
Also in sports, a Big Ten college football game between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Nebraska Cornhuskers scheduled for this weekend was canceled after six Wisconsin student-athletes and six staff, including the coach, tested positive for the coronavirus, CNN reports. Several more tests are pending; the game will not be rescheduled.
All numbers unless otherwise specified are from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, and are accurate as of October 28, 1 a.m. E.T. To see larger, interactive versions of these maps and charts, click here.
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
The Female Health Care Workers Fighting COVID-19 in Rural India
A group of all-female community health workers, paid as little as $27 a month, are on the front lines of India's fight against the pandemic. My colleague Abhishyant Kidangoor followed one such worker in her mission to help find, test and treat potentially infected people. Read more here.
What the U.S. Can Learn From How Other Countries Voted During the Pandemic
Dozens of countries, from Singapore to Bolivia, have held elections since the pandemic began in March, my colleague Ciara Nugent reports. With its election less than a week away, the U.S. can learn a lot from their experiences. One important lesson: If you social distance and wear a mask, and if the polling area has precautions in place, voting in person can be pretty safe. Read more here.
Young Adults Are Less Likely to Take Precautions Against COVID-19
Newly released CDC data show that older people are more likely to practice precautions like wearing a mask and avoiding crowded places than younger adults, my colleague Emily Barone reports. That may be because older people, who have a higher risk for getting severely ill, are more concerned about contracting the disease. Read more here.
What Do You Do For Fun?
If you feel like something’s been missing from your life the past eight months, it might be fun. Rachel Sugar at Vox dives deep into the unique fun-lessness of 2020 and explores how people are trying to create some semblance of joy for themselves. History provides a few ideas: as the 1918 flu pandemic dragged on, people took up reading, fortune telling, golfing and complaining. Read more here.
Thanks for reading. We hope you find the Coronavirus Brief newsletter to be a helpful tool to navigate this very complex situation, and welcome feedback at coronavirus.brief@time.com.
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Today's newsletter was written by Mandy Oaklander and edited by Alex Fitzpatrick.
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