No U.S. presidential candidate is addressing the current COVID-19 surge in America as 27 states now face very high risk

U.S. Medical News: As the U.S. gears up for the 2024 presidential election, a critical issue is being overlooked: the ongoing COVID-19 surge. Despite the current rise in cases, none of the presidential candidates have adequately addressed the situation. The silence from those vying for the nation’s highest office comes at a time when 27 states are grappling with "very high" levels of COVID-19 in their wastewater - a clear indication that the virus is far from under control.


No U.S. presidential candidate is addressing the current COVID-19 surge in America as 27 states now face very high risk

Wastewater Surveillance: A Critical Tool in Monitoring COVID-19
With traditional data sources becoming less reliable, the U.S. CDC has increasingly relied on wastewater surveillance to track the spread of COVID-19. This method detects the virus in sewage before symptoms appear in the population, providing an early warning system for potential outbreaks. As of August 9, 2024, data shows that 27 states have reached "very high" levels of SARS-CoV-2 in their wastewater, signaling widespread transmission.
 
The 27 States at Very High Risk
The following states are currently at very high risk, according to wastewater data:
Alabama
Alaska
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Florida
Idaho
Kansas
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Mexico
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Oregon
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Washington
Wyoming
 
These states represent a diverse cross-section of the country, highlighting that the current surge is not limited to any one region.
 
While the states with the lowest detected level (moderate) of SARS-CoV-2 were Arizona, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, New York, and West Virginia, current trends show that COVID-19 is not peaking in these states nor declining, rather its gradually rising. North Dakota the only state in America that is not reporting any COVID-19 data.
 
A Summer Surge Amid Political Silence
While COVID-19 is making a comeback this summer, the political response has been largely focused on the past. Former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden have both addressed COVID-19 on the campaign trail, but their remarks have mostly centered on their handling of the virus during their respective administrations. Trump has downplayed the current surge, even questioning the legitimacy of Biden’s recent COVID-19 diagnosis. Meanwhile, Biden has made light of the situation, failing to acknowledge the ongoing public health threat.
 
Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now running for president under the Democrat ticket, has also avoided making COVID-19 a central issue in her campaign. This lack of focus on a critical health cr isis is troubling, especially as the virus continues to spread across the nation.
 
Interestingly, no U.S. Medical News outlets or mainstream media in the United States are warning about the threat posed by the rising COVID-19 infections in America and its mainly the smaller state or county newspapers or radio networks that are occasionally talking about rising COVID-19 infections but are terming it as mild without focusing on rising excess death rates and the long-term health issues associated with exposure to the virus
 
Rising Cases and the Dominance of New Variants
The current surge is being driven by new variants, particularly KP.3.1.1, which is now responsible for approximately 28% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. This variant, along with others, has led to a quadrupling of virus activity in wastewater since June 1, 2024. Despite this, claims have been made that COVID-19 has fallen to the tenth leading cause of death in the U.S., a significant drop from its earlier ranking as the third leading cause during the height of the pandemic.
 
However, this decline in mortality does not mean the virus is no longer a threat. Excess death rates are rising and deaths related to COVID-19 but are not being declared as such are rising ie stroke, ischemia and clots, sepsis, organ failure especially heart, kidney, liver and pancreas etc.
 
The U.S CDC however continues to report elevated test positivity rates, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations, particularly among adults aged 65 and older. The agency warns that the current surge has not yet peaked, and with new variants on the rise, the situation could worsen in the coming months.
 
Health Officials Still Pushing Vaccines!
Although the virus continues to evolve and current strains in circulation can be described as “super immune evasive”, public health experts are still stressing the importance of vaccination in keeping the situation under control. Dr Manisha Patel, the chief medical officer for the U.S.CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, claims that population immunity has helped move the U.S. out of the pandemic phase, but this immunity wanes over time. To maintain protection, the U.S. CDC iss till recommending that everyone, except infants under six months old, receive the updated COVID-19 vaccine later this year.
 
The agency still advises that even those who have already been vaccinated or recently recovered from COVID-19 should consider getting the new vaccine. They claim that this is especially important for those at higher risk of severe illness, as they claim that vaccination remains the safest way to protect against the virus. To date they have not properly addressed the questions about the real effectiveness and safety of these vaccines as cases of adverse effects from these vaccines keep on rising.
 
Conclusion: A Missed Opportunity in the Political Arena
As the U.S. navigates this latest COVID-19 surge, the lack of attention from presidential candidates is a glaring oversight. With 27 states facing very high levels of COVID-19 in their wastewater, the threat is real and ongoing. Yet, the silence from the political arena suggests that the lessons of the past four years are being forgotten.
 
Public health officials continue to urge vigilance, encouraging Americans to get vaccinated and take preventive measures to protect themselves and their communities. The coming months will be critical in determining whether the U.S. can prevent another significant wave of COVID-19, but for now, the issue remains on the backburner in the race for the White House.
 
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