COVID-19 still on the rise in The Triad as the end of summer nears

Wastewater samples in Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point show that as recently as Aug. 21, viral gene copies of COVID-19 have continued to increase.

In each of the three cities, the number of gene copies more than doubled since the same time in July. 

Dr. Christopher Ohl is an infectious disease expert at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. 

During his monthly respiratory illness update on Aug. 29, Ohl said the mild nature of this season’s most common strain is keeping emergency rooms emptier than expected.

Herd immunity is also playing a role. 

"The amount of immunity in people is a lot higher now; the antibodies that you get from exposure to either COVID in the past or from vaccination are all present in almost all of our bodies now," Ohl said.  

With the start of school, Ohl recommends parents and children follow the traditional wisdom of staying home if sick, washing hands often and avoiding large indoor gatherings when possible. 

Santiago Ochoa covers healthcare for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. Follow him on X: @santi8a98