After months of steep drops, California’s new weekly coronavirus infections and hospitalizations have leveled off ahead of the important holiday season. The state’s coronavirus transmission rate has long been among the lowest in the country, and officials hope vaccine requirements and other safety precautions will keep another surge in cases and fatalities from happening this winter.
But when Halloween approaches, a busy fall and winter calendar will beckon many citizens to travel and congregate in large numbers not seen since the epidemic began. When you add in colder weather forcing people to stay inside, where there’s a greater risk of infection, and the fact that COVID-19 appears to be seasonal on its own, there’s reason for concern.