State’s COVID-19 cases on upswing 

COVID-19 is seeing a significant resurgence in Georgia and across the country, with the latest spike in infections expected to trigger the largest summer wave in two years, according to data from the CDC and public health experts. Currently, COVID-19 infections are rising or likely to rise in 25 states, including Georgia.

The CDC no longer tracks exact case numbers but estimates the virus’s spread based on emergency room visits. With fewer COVID-19 tests being reported, the amount of the virus detected in wastewater has become one of the most reliable indicators of its spread within communities.

Both nationally and in Georgia, the CDC classifies the viral activity level in wastewater as “very high,” with Georgia’s current levels more than double what they were at this time last year. According to Jodie Guest, senior vice chair in the department of epidemiology at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, while these levels are “extremely high,” they have not yet reached the peaks seen during the summer of 2022. However, the trajectory suggests that this wave could surpass those levels in the coming days.

Wastewater viral activity levels between 4.5 and 8 are considered high, and levels above 8 are considered very high. During the peak of 2022, Georgia’s level reached 14.2. As of August 10, Georgia’s levels were at 9.2, while the national level was 8.8, close to last summer’s peak of 9.6. Last week, 2.5% of emergency room visits in Georgia were related to COVID-19, up from less than 1% at the beginning of July. While this is still considered low by the CDC, it marks a significant increase.

The CDC also continues to monitor ER visits and COVID-19 deaths, which remain well below the levels seen in previous surges. Guest emphasized the importance of testing for COVID-19 if symptoms appear to help contain the spread, noting that a new, updated vaccine targeting recent strains of the virus could be approved by the FDA as early as next week and available in local pharmacies shortly after.

Staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines remains the best way to prevent severe illness and death, according to Guest. Many doctors recommend waiting for the newest vaccine before getting another dose and advise taking extra precautions, such as wearing masks in crowded places and monitoring for symptoms. Dr. Jayne Morgan, a cardiologist formerly at Piedmont Healthcare, suggests that people should strongly consider wearing masks at airports and other crowded indoor venues.