Viral photos of crowds have prompted reminders about how the coronavirus spreads.
Federal public health officials worked to remind Americans celebrating Memorial Day weekend of the importance of maintaining social distancing Sunday, highlighting that although the coronavirus crisis appears to be gradually improving in many regions of the United States, many still remain at risk of infection.
“With the country starting to open up this holiday weekend, I again remind everyone that the coronavirus is not yet contained,” Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, tweeted. “It is up to every individual to protect themselves and their community. Social distancing, hand washing and wearing masks protect us all.”
And on ABC’s This Week, Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, also emphasized the need to keep space between people, even outdoors.
“Social distancing is absolutely critical, and if you can’t social distance and you’re outside, you must wear a mask,” Birx said. “These are items that are really critical to protect individuals. We’ve learned a lot about this virus, but we now need to translate that learning into real changed behavior that stays with us so we can continue to drive down the number of cases.”
The reminders came as the US Covid-19 death toll approaches 100,000 — and as reports and photos circulate online showing large crowds at beaches and other vacation spots, some of them enclosed.
With outdoor recreational areas like beaches and parks drawing large numbers of people across the US, ideal social distancing is not always possible.
