The chart compares California’s COVID crisis with Arizona, which is now the “hotspot of the world.”

California showed the worst coronavirus infection rate in the country last week.

Now, Arizona insists on that strict distinction, and a college health expert calls it “World hotspots.. “

New York Times’ Coronavirus tracker On Thursday, the daily case rate in Arizona last week was 124 per 100,000, followed by California. December 28, California’s rate was still 99.7, but Arizona’s rate was much lower at 84.9, showing an increase of almost 50% in 10 days.

The state has followed a similar surge since November, with California peaking earlier. However, the state-wide approach to COVID-19 restrictions and obligations to California and Arizona is quite different, especially in the current surge.

Why are the two states on the west coast so struggling?

Experts point out many of the same issues in both places, such as Thanksgiving, dropping out of Christmas holidays, and pandemic fatigue. The virus disproportionately affects color communities and low-income groups in both states, especially in Latin American and American Indian communities.

The Bay Area and San Francisco are on a very different path from Arizona and its largest county, Maricopa. Since November, the infection rate of Maricopa has been much higher. ICU hospitalizations and per capita deaths are high in Arizona, and deaths in Maricopa are skyrocketing over the Bay Area and San Francisco.

Take a closer look at the surge in Arizona and California.

Arizona

State I saw nearly 4,000 cases Per day of the surge in summer that began in early June. Currently, 8,000 people are seen daily in Arizona.Death is Close to 10,000, With record 297 released on Thursday.

Maricopa County, home of the state capital Phoenix, has the largest population and most cases in the state.However Areas currently hit hardest Both are Yuma and Santa Cruz counties on the Mexican border, which have a large Latin population, and Navajo and Apache counties, which have a predominantly American Indian community.Coronavirus Devastated Navajo Nation, Forced Extended blockade..

Joe Gerald, a professor of public health policy and administration at the University of Arizona, said the state restricted businesses such as restaurants, bars, gyms, cinemas and water parks, pushing the curve down during the summer.

“Given that these venues are some of the most risky venues, it really seems to have helped,” he said. “From the end of June to the end of August, we were on a downtrend and it was actually pretty good.”

By late August, three major universities in the state had recalled students, which led to the outbreak, Gerald said. Most companies have also reopened. Infectious diseases have spread widely throughout the population and have affected all ages.

“These outbreaks continued unabated from mid-September to late September until we were in a really terrible situation,” Gerald said. “Our daily cases are growing more than ever, hospitals are reaching capacity … and we’re still reaching the same level of overcrowding as seen in media coverage of hospitals in Los Angeles County. I haven’t, but I don’t think it’s too late. “

Over 4,600 virus patients He was hospitalized and the elective surgery was postponed. State data Showed 7% of ICU beds available on Tuesday.

In early December, Governor Doug Duchy was warned that the company was violating the protocol and announced that a second complaint could lead to closure.he Request local jurisdictions to expand safety measures We did not ban events with more than 50 people.This week the governor A video of his son surfaced Between maskless parties.

“State-wide policies haven’t changed, which was very painful for me and my public health colleagues,” Gerald said. “Public health officials and hospital system managers called for stricter measures, but Governor Ducey was hesitant to change course … it was literally the western settlement of Arizona, and all men. , Women and children are basically protecting themselves for themselves. “

Gerald mentioned a letter from healthcare and hospital leaders calling for a suspension of business resumption in mid-December.State superintendent of education last weekend Called the governor Order the school to have two weeks of distance learning. So far, Ducey hasn’t surpassed previous measures.

Arizona is one of about 12 states with no mask obligations. Pressure from authorities During the summer, the governor began to allow municipalities to set their own mask ordinances.

“I think January is very bad in Arizona and is likely to be worse than December,” Gerald said. “Currently, there are more than 500 deaths a week, probably moving from 600 to 700 deaths. And those are just what we know … COVID It’s difficult to make it concrete and stand out to the general public. It’s there, but it’s hidden from sight. “

California

Governor of California Gavin Newsom on Monday Announced over 70,000 new coronavirus cases, The highest daily total in the state.

“We’re working on what we’re expecting-a surge in addition to a surge-will put a lot of pressure on the (intensive care unit) coming out of vacation,” he said. It was.

California had relatively strict coronavirus obligations throughout the pandemic. George Rutherford, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco, said these restrictions helped early on, but are currently not well enforced during the worst surge.

“Our limits are mandatory, but not necessarily enforced. This is a problem,” he said. “Many non-compliant people are not needed to promote this.”

Rebellion by state-wide groups created headlines that included: Continuous protest For Huntington Beach Health Guidelines and Restaurant Owners Refuse to close for Face-to-face meal..Anti-masker attacked this week Fresno Trader Joe’s When Los Angeles mall..

Rutherford pointed out states, including New York, that have strong enforcement as well as strong restrictions. In California, it is up to each jurisdiction to impose penalties on offenders. Some counties have a complaint hotline that fines businesses and individuals who do not wear masks.

Based on contact tracing, California’s main driving force in the past few weeks has been linked to small, mixed household gatherings, said Brad Pollock, vice dean of public health science at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine. Said it seems. Thanksgiving was the first impetus, and now Spike is coming from Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Southern California is driving the current surge in the state, with more than 190,000 cases in Los Angeles County alone in the past two weeks.The area has an ICU capacity of 0% and a hospital I was forced to treat Patients in the lobby, corridors, gift shops, Lack of oxygen..Ambulance was told Do not take the patient to the hospital If they are unlikely to survive.

Many of Southern California’s key workforces are particularly vulnerable, engaged in manufacturing and agricultural jobs, and live in densely populated areas.

“Most of us feel it’s population density,” Pollock said. “Much more dense than the rest of the state. San Francisco is a very dense but much smaller area. Many people are part of Latino Americans and live in multigenerational households. I’m out. “

People working in front-line jobs at high risk of exposure can take the virus home and spread it throughout the home. In the southernmost counties (Imperial and San Diego), many people can cross the border to work or go home to further spread the virus.

Morgue in San Diego County Overflowing At the end of the year.by countyThe cases in recent weeks have been primarily due to community exposures, especially workplace, store, home and travel related exposures. A new, more contagious COVID-19 variant recently discovered in many states Dozens of cases in San Diego County..

Many of the same problems are found in the San Joaquin Valley region, where the ICU capacity is also 0%. A significant portion of the population is Latino-American, many doing agricultural workers or other important jobs. The high cost of living in California has forced many low-wage workers to live in crowded conditions.

The 7-day case rate per 100,000 people in the Bay Area has been high in their 40s and low in their 50s over the past two weeks, much lower than the state’s incidence. Experts cite high compliance with mask obligations and other health orders in the area. General trust At the public health authorities.

San Francisco is one of the lowest with 32.4 per 100,000, with Marin County having a rate of 34.4. Both have seen significant increases in the past few months, but have remained much lower than in other Bay Area counties.

San Francisco has long led a cautious approach during a pandemic by enacting early shelter-in-place orders, mandatory masks, and restricted resumptions, even when case rates were very low in the fall. It has been believed. Many residents who work in tech jobs or other large companies work remotely.

The Chief Health Officer of Marin County said that the suburban, generally health-focused population will become older and wealthier and will be able to stay or work mostly at home or there. He also acknowledges that counties and community organizations have reduced their reach in low-income communities.

Bay Area case rates continue to be highest in Santa Clara and Solano counties. Last week’s daily rates were close to or above 80 per 100,000 in both counties. Solano County health officials have accused high case rates at holiday and weekend rallies. This includes places where people who know they are ill are still gathering with people outside the home. Health officials in Santa Clara County attribute it to pandemic malaise and a disproportionately affected color community.

In the northernmost region of California, ICU capacity is much higher at 24.4%. This is the only area not under the state’s stay-at-home order and becomes active when ICU availability drops below 15%.

Case rates are low in most counties in the Northern California region. Trinity County has a minimum of 5.3 per 100,000. The much higher rate of 72.2 in Lassen County can be primarily due to prisons, with over 1,000 infections associated with correctional facilities.