Trends in STD case reports during the U.S. COVID-19 pandemic, January-December 2020

July 16, 2021 – During the COVID-19 pandemic, reported STDs in the U.S. dropped then resurged

New CDC data show that during March-April 2020, reported STD cases dramatically decreased compared to the same time in 2019.

However, a resurgence in gonorrhea and syphilis cases later in the year suggest overall STDs may have increased during 2020.

As of Dec. 12, the cumulative totals for 2020 STD cases compared to 2019 were:

• Chlamydia, 14% lower
• Gonorrhea, 7% higher
• Primary & secondary (P&S) syphilis, 1% lower

Three factors likely contributed to the initial decrease in reported cases:

• Reduced screening – many health care clinics limited in-person visits to symptomatic cases or closed
• Limited resources – many state and local health department STD staff were redirected from routine STD responsibilities to COVID-19 activities, which affected STD tracking capacity and reporting
• Stay-at-home orders – which were intended to reduce COVID-19 spread may have influenced sexual behaviors and reduced STD transmission

COVID-19 highlighted both needs and opportunities in the STD field

CDC identified several ways STD services can meet more people where they are–during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the future–including:

• STD express clinics, which provide walk-in testing and treatment without a full clinical exam
• Partnerships with pharmacies and retail health clinics, which can provide new access points for STD testing and treatment
• Telehealth/telemedicine, which can close gaps in testing and treatment, ensure access to healthcare providers, support self-testing or patient-collected specimens, especially in rural areas

Adequate public resources are critical to effective STD control

STD defenses are down. It’s critical to prioritize and focus efforts to control the spread of STDs. This includes on-the-ground support for prevention and surveillance programs at the state and local level.