US COVID-19 Wave Declines as Test Positivity Hits Lowest Since 2022
AI SummaryThe Sick Times2h agoUnited States
Image: The Sick Times
β’The US long winter COVID-19 wave is ending with all major metrics showing declines or plateaus in SARS-CoV-2 spread nationwide as of mid-March 2026.
β’COVID-19 test positivity dropped to 2.5% for the week ending March 14, the lowest since 2022, while emergency department visits for COVID reached just 0.4%.
β’Cases are declining or likely declining in 45 states per CDC forecasts as of March 17, with flu-like illness visits down 12% to 3.3% and RSV levels also falling.
β’Metrics remain above early pandemic lows but signal reduced respiratory virus activity approaching seasonal baselines.
β’ The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee held a March 17 hearing on CMS fraud prevention, with Deputy Administrator Kimberly Brandt detailing data analytics and real-time monitoring shifts.
β’ Republicans highlighted improper payments in hospice, home health and Medicaid, calling for stronger oversight; Democrats urged balancing enforcement with patient access.
β’ Lawmakers addressed fraud risks in durable medical equipment amid calls to end 'pay-and-chase' models.
β’ House Republicans announced an investigation into rampant hospice fraud in Southern California, alleging tens of millions in taxpayer funds lost to improper payments.
β’ The House Oversight Committee sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom requesting documents on state oversight of federally funded hospice programs.
β’ Fraud involves companies receiving payments for ineligible patients, prompting calls for stronger controls amid ongoing healthcare waste concerns.
β’ Research analyzing U.S. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data found that 31.9% of adults reported social isolation and 8.2% reported physical isolation, with both often overlapping.
β’ Isolation was strongly associated with material deprivation including food insecurity and trouble paying bills, with 82.1% of physically isolated adults experiencing financial hardship compared to 30.9% of those not physically isolated.
β’ Both types of isolation were linked to lower odds of receiving preventive health services including COVID-19, flu, and pneumococcal vaccinations, as well as cancer screenings, though financial hardship partly explained these associations.
β’ A federal judge blocked sweeping changes to U.S. vaccine recommendations, including reductions in childhood immunizations and removal of COVID-19 guidance for certain groups, in a lawsuit brought by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical groups.
β’ The ruling paused a reconstituted vaccine advisory committee and signals a forthcoming decision on broader legal questions, with the case expected to reach the U.S. Supreme Court soon.
β’ Changes were driven by RFK's authority over federal vaccine policy, which critics argue lack scientific basis and threaten public health.
β’ North Carolina lawmakers introduced bills to scale back hospitals' property tax and sales tax exemptions, potentially shifting millions to state and local governments amid soaring medical costs.
β’ The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services heard arguments on March 10, with a vote expected in April before advancing to full House and Senate.
β’ Hospital groups like the North Carolina Healthcare Association warn of strained resources, especially for rural facilities operating on small margins, threatening patient access.
β’ UC Davis researchers created a new blood test to quickly detect the active, infectious form of tuberculosis, aiming to accelerate diagnosis and curb spread.
β’ TB killed 1.23 million globally in 2024, with over 10,000 U.S. cases including 2,000 in California; the test targets high-burden areas like India.
β’ Professor Imran H. Khan submitted trial data to India's ICMR for approval and co-founded AppGenex Diagnostics to commercialize it.
β’ On March 18, 2026, the CDC released a notice finding insufficient evidence to add Anti-Glomerular Basement Membrane (Anti-GBM) Glomerulonephritis to the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions after receiving a petition from the WTC Health Program Administrator.
β’ The decision highlights ongoing evaluations of conditions potentially linked to 9/11 exposures for covered responders and survivors.
β’ This ruling impacts thousands of WTC Health Program participants seeking coverage for emerging renal diseases.
β’ On March 24, 2026, Reps. Ayanna Pressley and Hakeem Jeffries held a roundtable condemning Republican policies gutting Medicaid and ACA programs, forcing families to choose between medications and rent.
β’ Pressley highlighted Republicans' $2 billion daily war funding while cutting healthcare for tens of millions and supporting ICE abuses.
β’ 'Republicansβ manufactured healthcare crisis is making people sicker, poorer, and less safe,' Pressley stated.
β’ CMS issued a final rule on March 23, 2026, standardizing electronic health care claims attachments and electronic signatures to replace fax and mail with digital submissions like notes, images, and reports.
β’ The rule excludes prior authorization attachments and takes effect May 26, 2026, with compliance required by May 26, 2028 for covered entities.
β’ This administrative simplification aims to reduce provider burden and improve efficiency in claims processing across US healthcare systems.
β’ New national polls from KFF and West Health-Gallup show Americans cutting back on health care, including rationing medications, to afford rising costs affecting daily living and access.
β’ Millions express worry about affording emergency services, routine visits, and prescription drugs, leading to dangerous health trade-offs.
β’ US physicians report higher burnout, stress, and dissatisfaction than international peers, with female doctors at greater risk and shortages projected at 40,000 primary care doctors by 2036.
β’ Perplexity AI introduced Perplexity Health on March 23, 2026, enabling users to connect provider health information via B.Well alongside data from Apple Health, Fitbit, and Withings.
β’ The dashboard tracks personal health metrics and answers questions based on individual user data using AI-powered search capabilities.
β’ This tool addresses growing demand for accessible health data integration amid criticisms of inaccurate crowdsourced medical advice from platforms like Google.