Wisconsin joins the COVID spike. The key is whether it's annoying or crippling

While Wisconsin didn't get this Summer's COVID spike as early as other parts of the country, it's gotten here now. New cases are coming in more than 10 times faster than the end of June, with more than 5,300 reported in the last week of July.

Deaths are still rare, with 6 of the last 7 weeks having fewer than 10 COVID fatalities. But the recent jump in COVID-related hospitalizations is certainly reason for worry.

Hospitalizations are ... not great. pic.twitter.com/5C3d36mg8y

— Jay Bullock, back to school nightmare haver (@folkbum) August 2, 2021

Milwaukee is having the worst of the COVID breakouts, and SE Wisconsin in general continues to have the highest rate of infections. Which reiterates to me that there was at least one negative side effect of the Bucks' run to the title.

And now COVID is causing a bump in the road to another Milwaukee team's attempt to get into the playoffs.

Closer Josh Hader became the latest Brewers player to test positive Monday and go on the COVID-19 injured list.

https://t.co/klRsyazuUG

— JSOnline - Brewers (@js_brewers) August 2, 2021

This makes Hader the 6th Brewer in the last week to miss time after having a positive COVID test. This needs to be brought back to normal, and fast.

I'm still keeping it outside more often than not for the coming months (and with the weather we're having, why wouldn't you?), and I'll likely go back to masking up when I'm in the office (though it's not mandated as of yet). These next two weeks feel critical, both in case totals, and for the deaths and hospitalizations. If deaths aren't rising much in the next month, and cases are leveling off and heading back down, then we know the vaccinations are helping a lot.

But if they don't, and if serious illnesses are jumping in high-vaxxed areas like Madison (which hasn't happened yet), then I fear we are heading back to reduced capacities and people staying home. And no one wants that.