Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are skyrocketing in the United States, according to the latest data, as gonorrhea, syphilis, and congenital syphilis soared above pre-pandemic levels in 2021. All are preventable and curable if detected early. If that’s the case, why are the numbers increasing?

It’s true COVID-19 scrambled and exhausted our healthcare system—but the pandemic explains only part of how we ended up here. Generations-old stigmas, decreased funding of health programs, and limited sex education all contribute. 

These factors explain the shocking new STI numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency reported that there are at least 2.5 million cases of the four major STIs (the three previously mentioned and chlamydia). Despite having federally