Experts worry that there will be a second wave of COVID-19 at a time when many states are trying to reopen their economies.
The second wave of COVID-19 is coming: Most states in the United States may be plateaued based on daily coronavirus deaths, including the worst affected states, such as Washington, New York and New Jersey.
But experts worry that there will be a second wave of COVID-19 at a time when many states are trying to reopen their economies.
The second wave associated with the flu season is likely to come in the fall or winter. Here’s what the experts are worried about.
Reopens very quickly
Singapore and Hong Kong have already seen the second wave of COVID-19 cases after a rush to reopen stores and businesses. Although the virus was still popular, the two countries loosened control.
In the United States, if socio-distance guidelines are eased too quickly, we too will see an increase in the spread of the virus. Such a surge would overwhelm hospital systems recovering from the first wave.
In areas with high population density, the risk is high.
Take, for example, the New York metropolitan area, the most populous region in the country, and the most affected by the pandemic.
The worst impact of the virus is due to the increasingly tightly packed population, which has enabled the virus to spread rapidly from person to person.
If restrictions are removed in such areas before the virus is sufficient, the spread of the virus person-to-person can again have catastrophic consequences, making it more desperate for residents and healthcare organizations to meet the patient’s need.
Data on past Pandemic
History provides further evidence that the virus may return to the second wave. For example, the H1N1 pandemic fell in 2009, and that drop caused more hospitalization. The Spanish influenza pandemic of 1918 killed more people on its second visit than its first spell.
When experts believe that the second wave of the virus will have its ugly head back, it is unlikely that a COVID-19 vaccine will fall through. Such a resurgence coincides with the flu season, which can put deep pressure on the health system.
But even if we don’t know how severe the second wave is, or when to expect it, there are still products that the states need to do right now.
For the most vulnerable parts of the country, this means that they should not rush to reopen public areas while the virus is still active.
We will do our best to control the disease when we encounter the virus again later this year.
