The latest omicron variant, BA.5, is now the dominant COVID strain in the U.S. It's also the most transmissible yet.

And as much of the country went maskless this summer, COVID surged. President Joe Biden tested positive twice in July.

As cities and states cope with another spike, the Biden administration is also responding to an outbreak of monkeypox. The WHO said the outbreak of the disease is a global health emergency. The CDC has identified more than 5,000 known cases of monkeypox in the U.S., the highest number of cases globally.

Some cities and states have declared their own public health emergencies as they wait for the federal government's response. The first U.S. case was identified in May and the caseload is now outpacing the rollout of vaccines.

We discuss the latest on the BA.5 variant. We also discuss the spread of monkeypox and what can be done to limit the spread.

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.