The Weather
The CDC-based wastewater map was updated on April 3. Using the People’s CDC’s warm-tones version of the map, we can see that 12 states show “high” levels of SARS-CoV-2 in the wastewater and 14 states show “Moderate” levels. Five states have limited coverage, meaning that data from those states is based on less than 5% of the population. There is no data for North Dakota, and the US Virgin Islands. The CDC has determined that national levels are “low” but note that the majority of Southern states are in the “moderate” category.
As always, remember that the determination of the categories of “Very High,” “High,” “Moderate,” “Low,” and “Very Low” are based on parameters chosen by the CDC, the logic of which has not been shared with the public. These values are likely independent of any relationship to community transmission. We continue to recommend as many layers of protection as possible!
We also encourage readers to continue to check wastewater reporting from their local health departments as well, such as this portal for New York State, as levels in your specific county may be different from the average level for the entire state. If county-level wastewater data is not available in your area, call your governor, state senators, and assembly to ask for it!
Measles Outbreak and Deaths
The CDC has reported 607 cases of measles as of April 4th. These case counts are updated weekly and include only confirmed cases. People’s CDC and others are concerned that this is likely an undercount of cases.
A second preventable measles death was reported in an unvaccinated child in Texas. Another death occurred in an adult with lab-confirmed measles in New Mexico, but an official cause of death is still under investigation.
Measles is highly contagious, and sometimes shows no symptoms or common symptoms like fever, cough, and runny nose before the classic rash appears. Like COVID, measles can spread through the air from coughs and sneezes and also by droplets. You can help protect yourself by wearing a well fitting N95, checking your vaccination status, and encouraging others to do the same.
Responding to Our Public Health Infrastructure in Crisis
Given the massive layoffs at HHS (CDC/NIH/VA/FDA/NIOSH) and grant cancellations, many public health advocates, scientists, and physicians in our organization are calling this the worst week for science and medicine in US history. These cuts of workers and funding threaten all healthcare and health-related research. We will need to support public health with mutual aid efforts while we are recovering and beginning to rebuild.
The American Public Health Association, representing NIH-funded researchers and research organizations, has filed a lawsuit alleging these cuts are politically motivated and that they violate the Administrative Procedure Act, the Fifth Amendment, and the Separation of Powers.
The American Public Health Association (APHA) has developed a letter campaign for contacting your representatives about these cuts. We urge you to send your letters today.
Of course, our work goes beyond lawsuits and letter writing. We need to disrupt the current state of so-called “order” in which few very rich people control what we can eat, breathe, and wear on our faces. Find ways to do this locally: start a tenants association, organize your coworkers, join debt strikes and debt collectives. Join or start a mutual aid group or mask bloc, or community garden, and canvass your neighborhoods to find out what needs exist and how to help address them. And, wear and share high quality masks, such as N95s, KN95s, and KF94s, to keep everyone safer while doing it.
We celebrate the millions of protestors that took to the street last weekend in opposition to the sweeping cuts, rising authoritarianism, and the ongoing genocide in Palestine. Palestinian Liberation is a disability justice issue, there can be no disability justice under settler colonialism.
Notes: 1) The numbers in this report were current as of 4/5/25. 2) Check out the links throughout & see our website for more at https://peoplescdc.org. 3) Subscribe to our newsletter: People’s CDC | Substack.
If you’re donating to us through Substack, consider getting the Substack for free (it’s not paywalled!) and donating to us directly. That way, there are fewer fees between your bank account and ours! Also, get your FIGHT FASCISM–WEAR A MASK T-shirt today.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The People’s CDC is a coalition of public health practitioners, scientists, healthcare workers, educators, advocates and people from all walks of life working to reduce the harmful impacts of COVID-19.
We provide guidance and policy recommendations to governments and the public on COVID-19, disseminating evidence-based updates that are grounded in equity, public health principles, and the latest scientific literature.
Working alongside community organizations, we are building collective power and centering equity as we work together to end the pandemic. The People’s CDC is volunteer-run and independent of partisan political and corporate interests and includes anonymous local health department and other government employees. The People’s CDC is completely volunteer run with infrastructure support being provided by the People’s Science Network.
Though the People’s CDC was supported initially through a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant, that grant has long expired. We no longer pursue or accept grant funding. We are now entirely funded by people who donate to us. Most of these donations make their way to us through our Substack platform (which anyone can access for free!) or through purchases of People’s CDC swag. Our website now has a donate link for anonymous donations.
The content that we put out is entirely created by volunteers who receive no funding for their work. We pay one person for their labor–a digital organizer. They help us update and maintain our website, make sure we all know what meetings are happening and when, post our content on social media, and monitor our email. They also act as the point person between our organization and our fiscal sponsor, People’s Science Network.
We also pay for a People’s CDC T-shirt for any volunteer who wants one.