In a cleveland.com news article regarding new trends for coronavirus cases throughout the state of Ohio, TDAI core faculty Elisabeth Root helped to tackle the potential causes for new surges in the age group of 30-59. “People are going into the office a bit more, and clearly that’s our working-age population as well” Root said. “I would assume there’s more interaction between adults in those settings.”

The article, which addresses the new pattern of infection involving middle-aged working Ohioans and parents, also tracked the societal, geographical, and social reasons behind COVID statistics in the months leading up to November. One of those societal reasons falls on the return to higher education. Infections greatly increased among the 0-29 age group in August and September, which coincides with students returning to schools and college campuses. “That number decreased in October, which could be an indication that schools and colleges are doing a better job of limiting the spread of the virus.” Root said.

Experts noted there’s a more important trend than the shift in cases linked to any age group, and that’s the skyrocketing number of overall infections. Ohio averages close to 3400 cases per day throughout the course of the previous month, but that number has grown to as high as 5500 cases in a single day. Experts like Elisabeth Root have acknowledged that many people may be tired of living with the virus. But they also stress that it’s important to keep wearing masks, washing your hands and avoiding large gatherings to limit the spread of infection.

“We should all be doing the same things,” Root said. “I know it’s hard for kids to wear masks all day, and it’s difficult for those of us who have to work in our workplaces to wear a mask all day. But it’s kind of what we have to do, because it’s the only line of defense we have at the moment.”