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Bay Area COVID surge may have weeks to go as wastewater levels climb
San Francisco Chronicle • • health
Key Points:
- COVID-19 cases are rising across California and nearly every U.S. state, with wastewater data from the Bay Area showing virus concentrations at their highest levels in months, indicating an ongoing and possibly accelerating wave.
- The CDC reports COVID-19 infections are growing or likely growing in 48 states, with no states showing a decline, though overall respiratory illness levels remain low compared to previous pandemic peaks.
- Wastewater surveillance reveals a sharper increase in virus levels starting in June and July, with a 140% rise in SARS-CoV-2 concentrations nationally in August compared to July, reflecting widespread summer transmission linked to travel and school reopening.
- Updated 2026-27 COVID vaccines targeting the XFG variant have been approved by the FDA, and health experts recommend getting vaccinated promptly rather than waiting for transmission to subside, alongside continued mask use in crowded indoor settings.
- Current CDC guidance advises individuals with COVID symptoms to stay home until symptoms improve and they are fever-free for 24 hours, without a fixed isolation period, as symptoms overlap with other respiratory illnesses.
