Covid concerns: Should we be worried about a spike in cases after the holiday weekend?

Covid-19 cases are back up across Riverside County. There have been more than 4,200 cases countywide since Friday.

In Palm Springs, the amount of Covid-19 in wastewater (June 27-28) rose by nearly 30% compared to the samples taken the week before.

Should we be concerned about the increase after the holiday weekend?

“For the last month or so month and a half-two months, we've had a steady increase in cases in general,” said Jose Arballo Jr., spokesperson for Riverside University Health System.

Especially after people nationwide, and here at home, gathered together for the holiday weekend. We could expect to see even more.

“It takes about three to five days before you'll see some symptoms, people get a test," Arballo Jr. added, “If history is any indication, we're likely to see a bump in the next 10 to 15 days.”

Not to mention the increase in at-home testing. Often times, positive cases from at-home tests are reported to the county. You can report your results here.

“Our data team tells us it would be a guess it could be anywhere from 10% to 30%. They tell us, but then even that, and they acknowledge it's a guess.”

Fortunately, the symptoms of the new variant tend to not be as severe as we’ve seen in the past- but it seems to be more contagious. “More people are vaccinated more than once in many cases. And that could provide the protection they need to keep them from getting seriously ill."

Although many are ready to put the pandemic in the past, officials urge you to mask up indoors, get tested and get vaccinated.

“If you're going to a movie theater or if you're going to places when you're indoors. And you don’t know the vaccine status of those that are around you. We would encourage you to wear a mask, and also get vaccinated again there's there's still plenty of vaccine," Arballo said.