Has COVID-19 become “endemic” in the United States? CDC says yes, but others disagree. What does endemic mean, and why does it matter?
It’s new to most St. Louis adults
In a survey of St. Louis adults, only 17% had heard in the past week that some scientists believe COVID-19 is now “endemic” in the United States; only 55% knew what endemic meant. Of the 562 respondents surveyed from 5 states, Hispanics were less likely to be familiar with the term “endemic” than non-Hispanics (36% vs. 51%) and people in rural areas than urbanized areas (30% vs. 47%).
Which “-demic” is it?
In public health, an epidemic occurs when a particular place (such as a state, country, or region) experiences a sudden rise or outbreak in cases of a particular disease. When an outbreak spreads across many places, as COVID did in early 2020, it is declared a pandemic. A disease is endemic when it becomes consistently present in a place and spreads in predictable ways.
Is COVID-19 endemic in the U.S.?
According to the CDC, COVID can now be described as “endemic throughout the world.” This means COVID is here to stay and will continue spreading and causing sickness in communities. However, it also means that we understand its patterns and can manage it effectively. Not everyone agrees, though. Some scientists believe we don’t know enough about COVID yet to say it’s predictable.
What changes if COVID is endemic?
Being endemic does NOT mean that COVID has gone away, been eradicated, or become less serious. It does NOT mean the guidelines for preventing or treating COVID have changed. Instead, it means that COVID will likely be with us for a while, and precautions such as annual vaccinations, good hygiene, and mask-wearing at times will be needed to reduce the risk of infection or severity of COVID illness.
Help St. Louisans stay informed
Some St. Louis community members might be confused if they start hearing that COVID is endemic. Share the digital assets below to help increase awareness and understanding.
Survey information
This week’s report is based on responses from a panel of 563 adult residents of St. Louis, MO (n = 145), Omaha, NE (n = 82), Texas (n = 84), Baltimore, MD (n = 125) and Colorado (n = 132) surveyed August 10 – 12, 2024. Explore these data and more at iHeardSTL.
Download the graphics below to share about this topic. To view more resources related to COVID-19, click here.
Suggested Caption:
Has COVID-19 become “endemic” in the United States? CDC says yes, but some disagree. What does endemic mean, and why does it matter? Swipe to learn more.
#iHeardSTL #COVID #Pandemic #Endemic
Version 1
Version 2
Have a question, comment, or feedback? Let us know! One of our team members will reach out directly.