Tag: contact tracing

The U.S. is rapidly returning to pre-COVID norms, but there are still pockets of concern across the country. Millions of vaccines have been administered to a large swath of the population, but the new Delta variant of the virus is starting to create havoc.

The variant, first spotted in India, has now spread to over 80 countries. Initial indications point towards it being more infectious than others, becoming the dominant variant in several regions. This naturally has the World Health Organization and the CDC worried.

While it is still largely unconfirmed, there have been suggestions that the Delta variant might be somewhat more resistant to all current COVID-19 vaccines available. Everybody is desperate to get back to normal, so use this map to track this variant’s movement.

Here’s the backstory

There are many COVID-19 maps available, but the CDC has developed a comprehensive portal to track the spread of the virus, and it now includes the Delta variant.

The interactive map provided by the CDC allows you to see which variants are prevalent in which areas and includes the usual information such as overall infections, recoveries and deaths.

“On June 15, 2021, the B.1.617.2 (Delta)* variant was classified as a VOC because it spreads from person to person more easily than other variants and may cause more severe disease,” the CDC explains.

How to track the Delta variant

From the main CDC COVID-19 portal, if you click on the SARS-CoV-2 Variants data, you’ll get a good idea of how much of the population it’s affecting. There is a definite shift in the dominant variant, as the CDC predicts the Alpha variant to decrease by as much as 52%. Click here to see the Covid Data Tracker map.

While that is a good thing, it opens the door for the Delta variant to run rampant, predicted to make up almost 21% of all infections in the U.S. Hot on its heels, though, is the Gamma variant which the CDC predicts will strengthen to affect about 16% of the population.

The Delta variant map divides the country into 10 regions. The CDC explains where each variant will become the dominant strain in the next two weeks.

Continue reading →

In Florida, COVID-19 cases continue to surge: over 15,000 new cases were reported Sunday, a single-day record, and 12,000 more cases were reported Monday, bringing the state’s total to over 282,000 cases. Amidst all this, Disney World has reopened this past Saturday.

Continue reading →

When it comes to finding information about coronavirus, there’s no shortage of online resources. That can include specific infection numbers in your area, tips on going back to restaurants again, when to expect a vaccine and just about anything else you can think of.

Continue reading →

Apple and Google made headlines when they announced they’d be working together to bring contact tracing to smartphones all over the world. This practice, now in place in many countries, has been key to slowing the COVID-19 pandemic and preventing extensive community spread of the deadly virus.

Continue reading →

After nearly two months of beta testing, Apple’s new iOS update is finally here. Not only does it address bug fixes and stability issues, it actually helps the iPhone adapt to your lifestyle in the age of COVID-19.

For one, now your iPhone will be able to open much more quickly if you’re wearing a mask. But more importantly, it also includes the underlying code developed in tandem with Google that will make contact tracing and exposure notification possible for smartphone users. Tap or click here to see how this program works.

Continue reading →

The COVID-19 pandemic has left the U.S. economy in shambles. Within the span of a month, the labor market went from one of the lowest unemployment rates in American history to the highest since the Great Depression.

As a result, companies are adapting to this strange new way of living, with remote jobs and social distancing becoming mainstays for some time to come. Tap or click here to see which jobs are hiring at-home workers.

Continue reading →