The Covid-19 pandemic is worsening. What happens next is up to you.

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It turns out the first two weeks were appalling.

The United States just smashed its all-time records for the highest number of Covid-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths reported in one day:

– On January 2, a record 302,506 new infections were reported in one day, according to Johns Hopkins University.

This represents an average of 3.5 people infected every second.

– On January 6, a record 132,447 patients were hospitalized for Covid-19, according to the Covid Tracking Project.

Many hospitals are now filled beyond their capacity, which means that even those without Covid-19 – for example, victims of car accidents – might not receive immediate care.

– On January 12, a record 4,462 Covid-19-related deaths were reported in a single day, according to Johns Hopkins.

A Boeing 747 can carry around 400 passengers. This means that in one day the deaths in the United States from Covid-19 were on par with the crash of 11 giant planes, killing everyone on board.

Why is this happening?

People are letting their guard down due to pandemic fatigue. And many of those who are tired of taking precautions get sick.
Now that the weather is colder, more and more people are socializing indoors. And the coronavirus is mainly spread during close contact with others through respiratory droplets – produced when someone speaks, coughs, sings or even breathes.
90,000 more Americans could die from Covid-19 in next 3 weeks, CDC composite forecast
Sometimes the viral particles can “linger in the air for minutes to hours,” the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
“These viruses may be able to infect people who are more than 6 feet from the infected person or after that person has left space,” the CDC said.
Socializing indoors with anyone outside of your bubble – even a single friend – is risky. Getting together with several friends indoors can be dangerous.

“If you are going to a party with five or more people, there will definitely be someone with Covid-19 at that party,” said Dr Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine .

Want to spend time with friends (without a mask)? Make a Covid-19 bubble - and make it tight

One of the reasons the coronavirus spreads so easily is that people can be contagious without knowing they are infected – and can pass the virus on without looking or feeling bad.

The CDC estimates that more than 50% of all infections are transmitted by people who do not have symptoms.

“This means that at least half of new infections come from people who probably don’t know they are infectious to others,” the agency said.

What is the difference between asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic release?
And just as doctors had predicted, the trips and vacation gatherings sparked new waves of infections, hospitalizations and deaths across the country.
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The fallout from the holidays could still spill over into the United States for weeks to come.

“It takes two to three weeks for patients to get sick enough to need hospital after contracting the virus,” said Dr Anish Mahajan, chief medical officer at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

Even though Christmas was less than three weeks ago, “we’re already full”.

“We have run out of intensive care capacity,” Mahajan said. “All of the hospitals in the region are putting intensive care patients in unusual places in the hospital just to find room for them.”

Some patients have been placed in hospital rest rooms, parking lots and gift shops.

Then there are newly identified variants

New for 2021: The United States has confirmed at least 76 cases of a highly transmissible variant of the coronavirus which was first detected in the United Kingdom.

These US cases were found in 12 states: California, Florida, Minnesota, New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Texas, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Wisconsin and Georgia, according to CDC data released Wednesday.

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But the actual numbers could be much higher because the United States lags behind dozens of other countries in the proportion of Covid-19 cases analyzed by genetic sequencing.
And the United States ranks 61st for how quickly virus samples are collected from patients, analyzed and then published in an international database for new variants.
Earlier this month, a CDC official said the agency plans to double the number of samples it sequences by mid-January – with a goal of 6,500 per week.

Understanding the genetic makeup of a virus and its evolution is essential to ensure that vaccines remain effective.

All viruses mutate over time and new variants are common.

But scientists advising the UK government have estimated that the variant could be up to 70% more effective at spreading than others.

While it may be more transmissible, there is no evidence that this variant first detected in the UK is more fatal or causes more serious illness, the CDC said.

Scientists fear 'breakout mutant' strain from South Africa could decrease vaccine effectiveness

But the strain first detected in the UK is not the only one causing concern.

A variant first detected in South Africa has been shown to be able to escape some of the antibodies produced by a Covid-19 vaccine.

This strain was first spotted two months ago in South Africa and has been found in 12 countries. As of Thursday, it was not detected in the United States.

Why can’t we all get vaccinated soon?

The deployment of the vaccine is proceeding more slowly than expected.
The Trump administration initially said it aimed to vaccinate 20 million people by the end of 2020.
Trump administration changes course, adopts part of Biden vaccine distribution plan
This does not happen. Not even close.

As of Thursday morning, about 10.2 million doses of the vaccine had been administered, out of about 29.3 million doses distributed across the United States, according to the CDC.

And the two vaccines currently distributed in the United States – from Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna – require two doses for each person.

The federal government recently said it would stop withholding doses held in reserve – in an effort to help secure second doses – so more people can get their first dose faster.
When can you get vaccinated? It depends on your health, your job and where you live.
In the weeks and months to come, the US Food and Drug Administration may grant emergency use approval for other vaccines – such as those from Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca.

But anyway, millions of Americans will have to wait months to get vaccinated.

What it all means to you

If you want to get closer to normal life (and faster), it’s time to double down on the safety measures:

Wear a mask in public and whenever you are with someone who does not live with you. If there is a risk of infection in your home, wear a mask at home as well.
Covid-19 can be a prolonged illness, even for young adults, says CDC
Do not rely on a negative test result to see “safe” friends or relatives. You can test negative but still be infected and contagious.

Keep social distance. Wash your hands frequently. And don’t think you’re invincible – even if you’re young and healthy.

“We are seeing serious disease in healthy young adults with no apparent underlying cause,” Hotez said.

“Whether it’s due to… a higher dose of the virus, if they have genetic alterations that they don’t know about – we just don’t understand,” he said.

“So, we cannot reliably predict who will handle this virus well, and who will not.”

CNN’s Elizabeth Cohen, Maggie Fox, Michael Nedelman and Amanda Watts contributed to this report.

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