By JOSH RESNEK
The United State recorded almost 100,000 new cases a day of the virus last week.
The numbers in Massachusetts have soared.
The state is expected to release new guidelines this week about masks, health and safety requirements for communities to follow when the doors open in several weeks.
The Everett Public Schools are reopening for full-time, in-person teaching, according to state mandates.
It is believed many personnel and teachers will be wearing masks at least part of the time when school is in session.
Many students may choose to do the same.
In Florida, intensive care pediatric beds are all taken, and this time, with children requiring emergency intensive care by the hundreds across the state.
Children all over the nation have not been vaccinated.
Children are coming down with the virus.
Even some vaccinated adults are coming down with the variant.
What to do?
No one seems to know. Many millions of Americans refusing to be vaccinated don’t seem to care.
The Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, signed a law into force requiring school children not to be forced to wear masks in schools.
With so many children becoming infected with the virus in Florida, and with schools about to open, many wonder about the wisdom of such a ruling.
In Florida, there is great resistance to the new law. Many communities are not following it. Many more are doing as they see fit dependent on the severity of the outbreak of the virus and what is required by hospitals and care givers to take care of so many infected.
The pervasive feeling in our society today is that we are done with the difficulties posed by the virus.
In Massachusetts, we know better and so do our public officials and school administrators.
The early celebration has been replaced by caution and now, by the terror that the variant is beginning to eat up all those who have not been vaccinated.
Governor Charlie Baker and his virus team have not imposed any new restrictions since nearly all restrictions were lifted some weeks back.
However, the governor and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health are expected to impose some new requirements on kids go- ing back to school and their teachers and school personnel.
Since the start of the pandemic, Massachusetts has been a leader in tamping down the virus.
Massachusetts is a top three state for vaccinations.