Residents in several counties statewide are now recommended to wear face masks indoors, CDC
New York – Wearing face masks, quarantines, lockdowns, frequent testing, and travel restrictions were some of the most common pandemic measures that we had to face since the Covid-19 pandemic began in early 2020. Most of these restrictions are now halted due to the relatively low and stable spread of the virus in recent months, but as we approach the winter, the number of cases is growing in some areas.
Due to high vaccination rates and the high number of people who have developed immunity after recovering from COVID-19, health experts don’t expect a significant surge in new cases this winter. Americans now think of the virus more like a flu than a dangerous disease, and this was confirmed during the Thanksgiving weekend, when millions of people literally occupied the shopping malls and stores across the country.
The state of New York was among the states with the strictest pandemic measures among all states. Many New Yorkers found the strict pandemic measures in place to be the right choice in combating the spread of the virus, but others found the restrictions inappropriate. For almost a year now, New Yorkers have lived freely with most of the pandemic measures canceled, but things in some areas across the state might change soon if the surge in new cases continues in the upcoming period.
Although many have now forgotten about COVID-19, the pandemic is still active, which is why local, state, and federal health officials are closely monitoring the situation with the virus on a daily basis. More than a year ago, the CDC created a site that provides an integrated, county-level view of key data for monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. It allows for the exploration of standardized data across the country. According to our previous reports, the CDC shows the risk of COVID in green, yellow, and orange for every county, meaning low, medium, and high risk of the virus, respectively.
As we approach the winter months and, in some areas, COVID-19 cases are on the rise, a growing number of counties are now colored yellow and orange. As of Sunday, Dec. 11, a total of 10 New York counties are in the orange zone with “high” COVID levels. Per the CDC guidelines, people living in these counties are now highly recommended to wear face masks indoors to prevent the spread of the virus. These counties are:
- Westchester County
- Rockland County
- Nassau County
- Suffolk County
- Bronx County
- Kings County (Brooklyn)
- Queens County
- Tioga County
- Broome County
- Richmond County
Counties shown in orange are where the CDC advises wearing masks indoors. Counties shown in yellow are places in which those at high risk for severe disease should be cautious. In green counties, indoor masking is not necessary. For more details and general view of counties, please visit the CDC county-by-county map and recommendations.
