An influential coronavirus model projects that by the first week of August more than hundred 134-thousand Americans will die from Covid-19.
That’s about double the rate the model previously predicted.
The forecast is from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.
The data is often cited by the White House.
One researcher says a reason for the rise is relaxed social distancing.
This is as more than 40 states will have partially reopened by the end of the week.
Social distancing measures implemented when the pandemic broke out has caused unemployment in the US to skyrocket.
And companies of all sizes are feeling the effects.
Gold’s Gym and J.Crew filed for bankruptcy protection, while United Airlines is telling workers to “seriously consider” leaving voluntarily.
But the reopenings come with potentially fatal consequences.
According to an internal document obtained by the New York Times, a model from the Trump administration predicts the number of deaths could double to about 3,000 a day by June 1.
Officials and leaders are trying to reach a balance between easing restrictions and keeping people safe.
Contact tracing is the process of tracking down anyone who might have been infected by a person who was recently diagnosed with the virus like COVID-19.
Contact tracing helps identify those people so they can quarantine themselves and prevent further spread.
Posted – 5.5.20