STDs in the U.S. Continue to Increase

Data collected at medical offices and community health centers pointed to a decrease in sexually transmitted diseases in the first few months of the pandemic when people were staying home. However, rates of all STDs increased towards the end of 2020. According to the CDC, more people were diagnosed with syphilis and gonorrhea in 2020 than in 2019. Some factors that drove down the numbers in the first few months of the year were: people opted for telemedicine visits, many people lost their jobs and their health insurance, and a shortage of testing supplies.