Covid-19 public health emergency extended in the US

[MyMission]

3. I'm a statistician by training, and have followed the covid data

For over 2 years I have been observing several trends.
I appreciated and enjoyed the data you shared.

I remember studying trend analysis in grad school 40 years ago.
There are three types of trend analysis methods – geographic, temporal and intuitive.

Just going with my intuitive trend analysis, with temporal and geographic data available over years, I'll share what I've been seeing.

* There is a clear up and down (peaks and valleys, not smooth) trend to covid infections
* Death and hospitalization numbers go up or down several weeks after case numbers do.
* When numbers are higher, people take more precautions (which reduce cases)
* When numbers are down people do not take precautions (which increase numbers,)
* There is some seasonal parallel with cases increasing and decreasing, as well as a "timeframe" for the cycles (which I believe relates to masking and distancing, not just a natural cycle)
* If your neighboring county or state is having a spike, it will reach your area.
* People can be asymptomatic and spread covid.
* Masking will most likely prevent one from catching or spreading covid.

I believe the current spike is due to most people acting like there's not a public health emergency, not wearing masks or social distancing, not testing, and yet another variant. New variants will keep coming. The vaccines and new treatments will prevent severe illness and death, not long covid and not new cases or variants. Masks will most likely prevent us from catching or spreading covid.

So, I continue to take precautions. The stop start behaviors of most really are in line with the ups and downs of covid infections. So many vaccinated people still get Covid at this point, people who let their guard down, only to catch it when case numbers started rising again, or even as numbers are declining.

I now work in retail part-time, and have observed how people's masking behavior fluctuates due to cases. I've had customers (visitors) ask what the numbers are in the county, or if they're required to wear a mask (when they see I'm wearing one).

I've observed that if masks are required, most people are willing to comply. If masks are suggested or recommended, most choose to go without (for many reasons). I understand and compare it to taxes.
If paying taxes were recommended or suggested and not required, many would opt not to pay. Then we wouldn't have funds and resources to serve our communities and country.

If, then, and, but. What more can I say?