The flu outbreak is so severe that the CDC just lit up a new color on its alert map. Nineteen states have “high” or “very high” levels of influenza-like illness. Three states got a new color on the CDC’s map to indicate that not only are their flu levels high, they’re “very high.” Maybe we should conduct a poll on what we call the level that comes next?  Maybe disappointingly high? Alarming? Sickly? Off limits?

In the U.S. each week, 2,500 people a week are dying from COVID-19. How long has it been since you heard a person running for Congress talk about that and what our national priorities should be to end this pandemic?  Only 7% of adults in the U.S. have gotten the latest booster vaccine aimed at protecting against serious illness and death caused by the virus’ newest variants.

Wastewater monitoring is not the most pleasant topic but it has proven to be a useful way of detecting COVID-19 outbreaks before they become widespread. And a third of the nation’s wastewater sentry sites are showing high increases. I will link you to the maps.