NEWS: U.S. Hits Record 1 Million Daily COVID-19 Cases

To ensure we are equipping our readers with all the information they need, we will continue to report on all travel, safety, and COVID-related news that could impact a Disney Parks visit.

As we settle into the new year, the United States continues to battle COVID-19. Even Disney World has been impacted by the pandemic, and some experiences remain closed nearly two full years since the parks shut down in March 2020. While things have slowly started to return to Disney World, like the reopening of the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular and Typhoon Lagoon, many argue that we still aren’t completely back to “normal” quite yet.

Face mask sign

For some, the increasing number of positive cases and rapid spread of illness is causing people to delay or cancel their trip to Disney World. As the omicron variant spreads across the country, it seems that the United States has turned a corner.

According to reports by Newsweek, on Monday, January 3rd, the United States saw a record-breakingly high number of COVID cases. Data from Johns Hopkins University indicates that the U.S. has recorded 1.084 million new cases of the COVID-19 virus in just one day.

Masks are still required indoors at Disney World

Scientists cite the omicron variant as the cause for the high uptick in cases. In fact, reports indicate that omicron caused the country to document the most cases in one day since the start of the pandemic — recording more cases per day than any other country in the world.

COVID-19 Health and Safety Sign

This new record number of positive cases in one day beats the previous record by nearly 50%. The previous record was set on December 30th with about 590,000 cases, according to Newsweek.

Disney’s health and safety policies follow the federal requirements

As the numbers continue to rise, we will keep our eyes on the current health and safety regulations set by Disney. Currently, masks are required at all indoor locations, but the rules are subject to change at any time. Around the parks, guests can find hand sanitizer dispensers at the entrance and exit of many indoor attractions and merchandise locations.

Hand sanitizer is available throughout the parks

This news comes after Disney’s Orange County was recently named a COVID-19 “hotspot,” indicating that the county has “reached a threshold of disease activity considered as being of high burden.”

Be sure to wear and mask and wash your hands as often as possible

As the situation progresses, we will continue to keep people informed and up-to-date on the latest changes around the parks and resorts. In the meantime, stay tuned for more news, reviews, and more.