New York was among the places with the highest rates of COVID-19 test positivity in the week through September 30, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Some 10.9 percent of COVID-19 tests in the U.S. were positive that week, down slightly from the previous week.
The CDC's map shows two states, New York and New Jersey, along with Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, had higher test positivity than anywhere else, with 13.9 percent of tests coming back positive in the week though September 30. These were followed by Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska, which had a 13 percent test positivity rate.
Meanwhile, several states that had much higher test positivity over the summer—Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana and Arkansas—now have less than 10 percent test positivity.
Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia had the lowest test positivity at 6.9 percent.
It comes after updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna began rolling out last month, intended for adults and children as young as age 6 months. Another option was added on Tuesday with the U.S.-approved reformulated Novavax shots for anyone 12 or older.
Health officials are hoping that enough people get the new shots, which have been updated to protect against a newer coronavirus strain, to prevent a winter surge.
There has already been a late-summer increase in infections as protection from COVID-19, gained from vaccination or earlier infection, wanes over time.
"While rates now seem to be plateauing, we are entering October, which is the typical start of the respiratory virus season," a CDC spokesperson told Newsweek last week.
"Even if hospitalization rates level off for a few weeks, they could increase in the coming weeks, and prevention is the best approach," the spokesperson added.
Those aged 5 and older are considered up to date if they get one updated COVID-19 shot, according to the CDC.
The CDC recommends children aged between 6 months and 4 years who are not vaccinated get two or three shots of an updated COVID-19 vaccine, depending on which they receive. They should get three if it's the Pfizer vaccine, and two if it's the Moderna one.
Children that age who got COVID-19 vaccines before September 12 should get one or two doses of an updated COVID-19 vaccines, depending on which they vaccine they receive and how many proper doses they have previously received.
Those who recently had COVID-19 may consider delaying getting the new shot by three months, as reinfection is less likely in the weeks and months after being sick, the CDC says.
However, the CDC advises taking into account certain factors to get the shot sooner rather than later, including personal risk of severe illness, risk of illness in a loved one or close contact and local COVID-19 hospital admission level.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Khaleda Rahman is Newsweek's Senior News Reporter based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on abortion rights, race, education, ... Read more
