(Wikimedia Commons). 

The cases in Ohio are at an all time high, and, with the winter season setting in, it might only get worse from here. 

Ohio reached its record number of cases in one day on October 29, with 3,845 cases reported. However, a more indicative statistic of the rate of transmission of the virus is the positivity rate. This number is the percent of positive cases out of the total people tested and shows that the number of positive cases are rising because of more infections, not more testing. The positivity rate in Ohio has also jumped from 2-4% from September to 6.9% in late October. 

Winter poses a new challenge to the already rising cases as people spend more time indoors in confined spaces where the virus can spread more easily. Additionally, winter weather conditions are ideal for increasing transmission rates of coronavirus. The added risk of flu season on top of coronavirus is yet another difficulty in store during winter. 

A coronavirus vaccine development is in the works, but a fully tested vaccine may not be circulated until the beginning of 2021, meaning we have to continue with our current safety procedures with extra caution through the cold season. 

The pandemic is far from over, so more than ever we need to stay vigilant, wear masks, social distance, and get the flu vaccine to brace this winter together.