COVID-19 Levels Rise in the Bay Area

Recent data indicates that COVID-19 is spreading at its highest rates this year across much of the Bay Area, raising concerns among experts about a potential surge as the school year gets underway.

Areas like Marin, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, and San Jose are experiencing high and, in some instances, increasing levels of the virus, according to information from WastewaterSCAN, which monitors viral levels through wastewater treatment. Meanwhile, other regions show moderate levels of the virus, but Gilroy stands out as having low numbers.

In San Francisco, recent figures reveal the city has reached its highest COVID-19 levels since September of last year. Hospitalizations and positive test results are also on the rise.

Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at UC San Francisco, expressed concern that the new school year—starting this Monday in San Francisco with classes already in session in Oakland and San Jose—could lead to increased virus transmission.

“Whenever people gather in large groups, that’s when the spread tends to occur more easily,” he mentioned in an interview. “What may seem like a cold for a middle schooler could have more serious consequences for an older family member who might catch it.”

Since the pandemic began, COVID-19 has shown a tendency to surge during both summer and winter. However, the recent uptick in cases suggests that current levels far exceed those from last winter. Chin-Hong speculated that a newly emerged variant, referred to as the cicada variant, might be influencing this rise.

As of early July, a notable percentage of COVID-19 cases were associated with the cicada variant, based on data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“It will be interesting to see if this continues into the summer, though it’s hard to discern a clear pattern yet. It might be influenced by new variants,” he commented.

Chin-Hong mentioned that a revised COVID-19 vaccine is set to be available this fall, but older adults or those at higher risk could receive a booster shot sooner if they’re worried about the increasing case numbers.

The expert emphasized that monitoring the COVID-19 situation continually is crucial as its impact and spread may evolve annually. Notably, even though hospitalizations are rising, they have not surged dramatically this year, which could be attributed to either changes in the virus or improved herd immunity.

“I’m hopeful we’ll see fewer cases of severe illness this year compared to last, even with the ongoing circulation of the virus,” he pointed out.

Still, he cautioned that a significant rise in hospitalizations in the Bay Area is a possibility in the near future.

“Time will tell,” he said. “We’re likely to see more cases soon as people’s immunity starts to wane.”