The United States remains the hardest-hit country in the entire world and some researchers believe social distancing orders may endure for up to more than a year unless a vaccine is developed.
Social Distancing through 2022
Researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health wrote on a study published in the journal Science on Tuesday that the U.S. may go through continuous social distancing measures up to 2022.
"Intermittent distancing may be required into 2022 unless critical care capacity is increased substantially or a treatment or vaccine becomes available," the scientists wrote on their study.
Furthermore, the researchers projected that there is a possibility for the novel coronavirus to make a rampage again soon should the movement restriction orders be lifted at this point or in the coming weeks.
The projections came as the country reported 605,030 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday and 25,755 deaths from the fast-spreading disease.
South Dakota Governor Defends Food Plant Outbreak
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem argued during a media briefing on Tuesday that the COVID-19 outbreak at the Smithfield Foods plant in Sioux Falls was inevitable even with a stay-at-home order, CNN reported.
Noem explained that the stories about stay-at-home orders potentially preventing the devastating outbreak at the said food plant were "absolutely false."
Smithfield is one of the state's biggest food suppliers and Noem said the factory still could have continued operations due to its status even if an order was released by the mayor and city council.
As of Tuesday, 438 workers at the Smithfield food factory have tested COVID-19 positive.
Doctor: Most NYC Kids may have Contracted Novel Virus
New York pediatrician at New York City's Gramercy Pediatrics Dr. Dyan Hes advised that parents should assume their children already have the infection even the symptoms they show are mild, as long as they are consistent with the COVID-19 strain.
Hes said she thinks "probably 80 percent" of the kids in NYC already have the virus. He said during at interview with CBS News that kids aren't being tested in the said city.
In the interview, Hes went on to explain that the number of infected children has yet to be determined since a lot of kids do not display symptoms. While the COVID-19 strain is "much, much less virulent in children," Hes explained, the risk is present if the infected kids pass the virus to high-risk people such as the elderly.
As of Tuesday, New York registered 203,020 confirmed coronavirus cases and 10,842 deaths.
New Jersey Reports Over 300 New Deaths
New Jersey on Tuesday reported 365 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, bringing the state's total to 2,805, nj.com reported.
In the last 24 hours, the state also registered 4,059 new COVID-19 cases. The state now has a total of 68,824 confirmed coronavirus cases. It is the second hardest-hit state in the United States.
Gov. Phil Murphy warned in his daily briefing that residents can't be lax in terms of practicing social distancing. Any form of non-vigilance may bring about a possible "boomerang" of the outbreak," he said.
Over 100 Dead in Massachusetts
On Tuesday, the state of Massachusetts, the third hardest-hit state, reported 113 new COVID-19 deaths. The state now has 957 deaths from the highly-infectious disease.
According to NBC affiliate WYCN-LD, 1,296 coronavirus cases were also reported over the last 24, bringing the state's total cases to 28,163.
Massachusetts is among the numbered states in the country that carried out as many tests as possible in the past several weeks. The state has tested over 125,000 potential COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday.
