Is there a summer COVID-19 surge this year? Yep, it's ramping up again

Your Health Is there a summer COVID-19 surge this year? Yep, it's ramping up again August 14, 202612:37 PM ET Rob Stein A positive COVID home test is shown in this image. Public health experts say we're now in the midst of a growing summer surge of COVID in the U.S. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Hantavirus. Ebola. West Nile. Measles. And, of course, cyclospora — that stomach parasite making people miserable across the country. Americans have plenty to worry about this summer. Health Record cyclosporiasis outbreak tests agencies hit by Trump administration's cuts But remember COVID-19? It may not be surprising that many people may have almost forgotten about COVID. Unfortunately, COVID hasn't forgotten about us. For stories on the science of healthy living, subscribe to NPR's Health newsletter. "We're now in the midst of a growing summer surge of COVID here in the United States," says Dr. John Brooks, an infectious disease doctor at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga., who used to work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "I think most of us kind of feel like it's fading away and are certainly very grateful for that. But nationally we're seeing it ticking up pretty much everywhere." Sponsor Message The virus is spreading the most again in the South and West, but is also on the rise in the Northeast and Midwest. The good news is the virus is still at very low levels. And so far this summer's wave seems to be continuing the trend of getting milder each year, sending fewer people to the hospital and causing fewer deaths. "What we're seeing is very likely evidence of growing herd immunity if you will," Brooks says. "More and more people have had one or more infections that give them some immunity against the virus and have had more than one vaccination, or maybe both. And all of that really has begun to offer us a lot of protection." Now, that doesn't mean people don't have to worry about COVID at all any...