After months of COVID surging, there are signs of a slowdown in California

Every week the state health department updates the statewide COVID data, and nearly every week this summer the COVID positivity rate has been rising. But this week there are signs the virus’ spread is slowing, with the positivity rate stalling statewide for the first three weeks of August.

Wastewater data for Santa Clara County gives us another glimmer of how the worst of this summer’s stubborn surge might be over. The level of the virus in San Jose is headed steadily downward. Gilroy has dipped into the “medium” levels recently...