"What we hope is we can take it seriously and slow the transmission in these places," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, the principal deputy director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "But what I think is very discouraging is we're clearly not at a point where there's so little virus being spread that it's going to be easy to snuff out."
The US has reported more than 2.5 million cases of the virus and at least 126,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. State and local leaders have said the rise in cases are in part driven by gatherings, both in homes and in places like bars -- which some experts called the perfect breeding ground for the virus.
But experts have for long warned that some states also reopened far too soon and too quickly, cautioning the move could lead to more spikes in cases.
States across the US have hit pause on reopening:
- California: Gov. Gavin Newsom shut bars back down across seven counties and recommended their closure in several more.
- Texas: Bars were ordered shut.
- Florida: On-premise alcohol consumption was suspended statewide.
- Arizona: Bars, gyms, and other businesses have been shut down for a month.
- Florida: Beaches in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach were also ordered closed for the upcoming holiday weekend.
- New York: Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday the state will decide later this week on whether to slow the reopening of indoor dining in New York City as it has "been shown to pose risks in other states."
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