Growing weariness with social-distancing spurs higher infection rates; how rural officials can help keep cases down

With the pandemic stretching into its tenth month, more and more people are shrugging off social-distancing measures, whether out of necessity or because they're tired of them. "With no end in sight, many people are flocking to bars, family parties, bowling alleys and sporting events much as they did before the virus hit, and others must return to school or work as communities seek to resuscitate economies," Julie Bosman, Sarah Mervosh and Marc Santora report for The New York Times. "And in sharp contrast to the spring, the rituals of hope and unity that helped people endure the first surge of the virus have given way to exhaustion and frustration."

That apathy threatens to drive up infection rates as colder weather comes and more people are indoors, where the virus can more easily spread, the Times reports. 

It's especially problematic in the rural U.S., where impatience with public health recommendations is coinciding with soaring infection rates, University of Colorado family medicine professors Lauren Hughes and Roberto Silva report for The Conversation. 

Rural infection rates are on the rise because of many factors, including politicization, misinformation, the presence of meatpacking plants and prisons, and lack of broadband (which makes remote work and schooling difficult or impossible), Hughes and Silva report.

Rural communities can tamp down on surging cases but must consider their unique demographics, economies and perspectives to develop policies that can prevent or address future outbreaks. "For example, allowing rural communities to exert control over their reopening and closing decisions based on local disease transmission dynamics would allow them to better balance disease mitigation with economic impacts," Hughes and Silva report. "Some states allow rural communities with few or no cases to apply for waivers from statewide public health orders. These applications generally look at local infection data, containment measures and health care capacity."

Local officials might also frame the pandemic differently to ensure higher compliance with public-health measures. "For example, a public service message could remind people that wearing a mask keeps your favorite business open and your grandmother healthy," Hughes and Silva report. "Framing levels of risk in understandable terms for different types of activities can also help, such as how to exercise or socialize safely. Working with trusted local messengers, such as business owners and faith leaders, can help convey evidence-based information."