SAN JOSE, Calif. — Eight months into the coronavirus pandemic, California has become a rare case: a state that has contained the transmission of COVID-19 and isn’t experiencing another surge yet, at least.
Nationwide, daily infections are up one-quarter in the last two weeks, and the country just reported its most in a single day since July. Lightly populated North Dakota is seeing 85 new cases a day per 100,000 residents over the last two weeks. California? Ten new cases per 100,000, up just 2% in two weeks.
The reasons why, health experts say, are made clear by a stroll through San Francisco. Pedestrians are masked and passing each other at acceptable social distances. Painted circles partition off small groups at one of the city’s most popular parks. Posters stapled to signposts once hawked live music; now, they advertise masks.
Every city could be San Francisco, and every state like California, these experts say. SARS-CoV-2 has proved to be a complex and mysterious virus, but eight months since it landed on our shores, the science seems clear on a simple way to contain it.