It is a well-known pattern, at least on COVID-19 Media and Data Twitter, that new national surges of the virus are generally preceded by one nontraditional indicator: an increase in one-star Yankee Candle reviews in which users complain that they can’t smell their candles. Remember, a key COVID-19 symptom is loss of smell.
Well, I regret to announce that this Yankee Candle Index is once again suggesting that a lot of COVID-19 is circulating in the U.S. right now:
The Yankee Candle Index last suggested a spike in late December 2021, as Omicron was taking off nationwide. (At the time, I pointed readers to this SFGate article for more information; it’s still a helpful source if you’re unfamiliar with this index.)
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