Hopefully you are having a great summer of 2022 so far and have been able to get back to the things you love to do and the events that you and your family love to enjoy. Although there has been no official word about the end of the COVD-19 pandemic, it sure feels good to get back to what feels like normal life here in the Buffalo area.

But as the summer creeps along, there is word that the COVID-19 rate here in Western New York seems to be spiking. According to reports, the average seven-day infection rate in the region is nine-point-one percent. At this time one week ago, that infection rate was seven-point-one percent.

This all happens as health officials get ready for the next vaccine clinic for young people in Erie County.

But we are not alone in the summer increase in COVID here in the 716 and 585 areas. As a matter of fact, the rate of infection in New York City is getting really high.

Although we have been doing more things, our family is still aware of the risks and do the bets we can to wash hands, keep an appropriate distance from others and avoid being in areas with lots of people at one time. It is also an advantage that the weather has been so nice so we can open windows and get outdoors.

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RANKED: Here are the most popular national parks

To determine the most popular national parks in the United States, Stacker compiled data from the National Park Service on the number of recreational visits each site had in 2020. Keep reading to discover the 50 most popular national parks in the United States, in reverse order from #50 to #1. And be sure to check with individuals parks before you visit to find out about ongoing, pandemic-related safety precautions at www.nps.gov/coronavirus.

Gallery Credit: Hannah Lang

LOOK: Stunning vintage photos capture the beauty of America's national parks

Today these parks are located throughout the country in 25 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The land encompassing them was either purchased or donated, though much of it had been inhabited by native people for thousands of years before the founding of the United States. These areas are protected and revered as educational resources about the natural world, and as spaces for exploration.

Keep scrolling for 50 vintage photos that show the beauty of America's national parks.

Gallery Credit: Alexander Raeburn

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