The amount of COVID-19 cases are on the rise, however they are still at a seasonal low. Data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has been interpreted multiple different ways.
The latest data available — updated by the CDC on Tuesday, Sept. 5 — shows a gradual increase in weekly hospitalizations from the first week of this year to the last week of August, and a 16% increase week over week.
However, an uptick in COVID-19 is typical for this time of year. Compared to previous years, the amount of cases is actually at an all time seasonal low.
This increase is caused by multiple factors. School is back in session, creating a greater likelihood of transmission. Furthermore, new variants are normal in the fall.
Using the same data but extending the timeframe back to the start of 2021 shows the different COVID-19 waves. Weekly hospitalizations year over year are down 53%, and weekly hospitalizations from 2021 to 2023 are down 80%. The data set shows that seasonal hospitalizations have dramatically declined.
The previous data trends show that cases typically taper off in September, however some media outlets are reporting that this year is different. For example, NBC released a headline that reads, “All signs point to a rise in COVID.”
Mixed predictions on the future of COVID-19 in the headlines is bringing back debates on mask mandates, with different schools and workplaces both opposing and promoting bringing the mandates back.
The City Council in Huntington Beach, California, just banned mask and vaccine mandates within its city limits.
Senate Republicans are looking to do something similar at a federal level by introducing the Freedom to Breathe Act, which would ban mask mandates in schools, airplanes and on public transportation.
Mandates and masking has become largely politicized, and each side can interpret data from the CDC to defend their arguments.
Some reports argue that the data suggests an increase in cases, which they say justifies the reinstatement of mask mandates. Other reports interpret the data as indicating that cases are at a near low, leading them to conclude that masks may not be necessary.