Little Things that Matter Your LIFE: The Coronavirus Brief: How to protect yourself as cases surge

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Monday, July 11, 2022

What to Do When You’re the Only One Being Cautious

BY TARA LAW

There’s little doubt that COVID-19 is surging again. While the number of new reported cases is likely an undercount, since so many people now use rapid at-home tests, cases and hospitalizations are up, including in places where they’d previously been falling—like New York City, where I live. Looking around the subway, however, you wouldn’t know it. Although masking is still required on public transportation here, I’ve recently noticed more bare faces than I’ve seen since the start of the outbreak in 2020. This has made me wonder: now that I can’t rely on people taking precautions to protect me, how do I step up measures to keep myself safe—and, more importantly, protect my elderly relatives when I visit them?

Fortunately, since the start of the pandemic, experts have learned a lot about how to limit the spread of COVID-19. The key, several have told me, is not to count on any single measure to protect you—but to layer on different measures that can support overall protection.

Step up your masking. When fewer people around you are masking, it’s essential to wear a high-quality, well-fitted mask—preferably an N95—particularly if you’re going to be in a crowded area. Research has shown that N95s offer far more protection from infection than cloth or surgical masks.

Embrace the outdoors. Good ventilation is another great way to protect yourself from COVID-19, and in most cases, there’s no better way to guarantee that than stepping outside. (The virus can still spread outdoors, but much less efficiently than it does inside.) Studies have shown just how well vigorous indoor exercise can potentially spread COVID-19, so take advantage of the warm weather to exercise in your yard, local park, or at the beach.

Get boosted. If you're eligible for a booster shot but haven’t received it yet—or your second booster, if you’re over 50 or immunocompromised—it’s time to bulk up your immunity. Evidence suggests second boosters can help protect people from severe cases of COVID-19 as well as death.

Test, test, test. Although neither PCR nor rapid at-home tests can offer complete certainty that you don’t have COVID-19, they can help protect the people around you, especially if you’re about to travel or visit someone who’s more vulnerable, or if you're attending an indoor gathering.

Deciding which precautions to take requires weighing your personal risk tolerance and the level of risk in the community. However, there’s no bigger threat to your long-awaited summer fun than getting very sick from COVID-19—so it’s worth it to find the right mixture of precautions to keep you and your loved ones safe.

TODAY'S CORONAVIRUS OUTLOOK

More than 555 million people around the world had been diagnosed with COVID-19 as of 1 a.m. E.T. today, and over 6.35 million people have died. On July 10, there were over 403,00 million new cases and 554 new deaths confirmed globally.

Here's how the world as a whole is currently trending, in terms of cases:

And in terms of deaths:

Here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:

And here's every country that has reported over 10 million cases:

The U.S. had recorded nearly 88.6 million coronavirus cases as of 1 a.m. E.T. today. Over 1.02 million people have died. On July 10, over 21,06 new cases were reported and 9 new deaths were confirmed in the U.S.

Here's how the country as a whole is currently trending in terms of cases:

And in terms of deaths:

Here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:

All numbers unless otherwise specified are from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, and are accurate as of July 11, 12 a.m. E.T. To see larger, interactive versions of these maps and charts, click here.

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WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW

The U.S. will buy 3.2 million doses of Novavax’s two-dose vaccine, which is expected to be authorized by regulators soon, the federal government announced today. Experts hope that because the shot is protein-based, using decades-old technology, it will attract people who are uncomfortable with the newer mRNA technology that Pfizer-BioNTech's and Moderna's shots use. “The company is expected to complete all necessary quality testing in the next few weeks, which would support final release of the product,” the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services said in a statement.

Amid rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, European Union regulators are urging people over 60 and those with medical conditions that put them at high risk to receive second booster doses. That’s an update to the previous recommendation that only people over 80 should receive a second booster, the Associated Press reports. Among those 65 and older, weekly cases are up 32% in 22 of the 24 reporting countries compared to the previous week, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control said in a statement.

Several million people in the Chinese cities Xi’an, Lanzhou, and Haikou are facing restrictions as authorities imposed partial lockdowns, shuttering non-essential businesses and requiring mass testing in an effort to slow new outbreaks, the New York Times reports. Macau also went into partial lockdown, closing non-essential businesses, including its 42 casinos.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, 71, has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms, his spokesperson announced yesterday. Schumer, who is vaccinated and double-boosted, is quarantining and will work remotely.

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. If you have specific questions you'd like us to answer, please send them to covidquestions@time.com.

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Today's newsletter was written by Tara Law and edited by Angela Haupt.