Pew: ‘Shocking’ Rise in STIs During COVID

Cases of congenital syphilis in the U.S. climbed by a whopping 184% between 2017 and 2021, according to the CDC. But that’s only one element of an explosive rise in sexually transmitted infections, known as STIs, which one expert in the field describes as an “out-of-control pandemic” that began in the 2010s and became super-charged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts in public health say COVID-19 contributed to the rise in sexually transmitted infections by preventing people from getting routine health care, where STI screenings can occur. It also siphoned public health workers from STI work to focus on COVID-19. Read more from Pew Trust here.