COVID-19 Cases Level Off in Region, But There’s Still Concern for What’s Coming

By

A crowd attends a Made in America concert, mostly without masks.
Image via Elizabeth Robertson, The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Roddy Ricch performs for a mostly mask-less crowd in Philadelphia.

The number of coronavirus infections has been leveling off in the region, but the high infection rate of the delta variant could mean cases going up again as students return to school, writes Erin McCarthy for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“The next couple of weeks will tell the tale,” with “three different forces converging” — the start of in-person school, Labor Day weekend, and gatherings for religious holidays, said Annette C. Reboli, dean of Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.

Delaware County’s call center has seen an uptick in calls reporting positive cases in schools and day-care centers, said Delaware County medical adviser Lisa O’Mahony.

First dose vaccine rates also continue to increase moderately in the region. Most are motivated by the return to school, participation in team sports, worries over the delta variant and employer mandates.

 “The message is for those who are unvaccinated and eligible to get vaccinated,” O’Mahony said.  “That’s critical to creating some kind of plateau in this trajectory.”

Experts worry that fall will bring dropping temperatures and more indoor gatherings with opportunities for the virus to spread.  

Last year, case counts shot up in the fall and winter before vaccines were available.

Read more at The Philadelphia Inquirer about coronavirus rates this fall.

The Delta variant did affect Labor Day travel plans this year.

Join Our Community

Never miss a Delaware County story!

"*" indicates required fields

Hidden
DT Yes
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Advertisement