It seems that COVID just refuses to be relegated to that part of our brains where we keep sourdough starters and Zoom happy hours. Late summer is a favorite time for COVID-19. As summer winds down, COVID activity picks up. And this year is no exception with the number of cases increasing in 47 states.

The good news is that this year’s strain is bringing less severe symptoms and lower hospitalization rates. But COVID is no fun and quite contagious. So, with vacations wrapping up, kids heading back to school, people returning to offices, and all of us spending more time together indoors, we thought it would be a good time for a quick COVID refresher.

Why Does COVID Keep Showing Up in the Summer?

Unlike flu and RSV, COVID has never settled neatly into a winter-only schedule. We have seen summer bumps repeatedly since the pandemic began.

There are a few reasons.

First, the virus keeps changing. New variants can spread even among people who have some immunity from previous infections or vaccinations. The virus does not necessarily have to become more dangerous to cause another wave. It just needs enough changes to get around some of our existing immune defenses.

Second, immunity itself fades. Protection against severe illness tends to hold up better than protection against infection, but the antibodies that help stop the virus at the front door decline over time. For many people, it has been months since their last vaccine or infection.

And then there is summer behavior. Extreme heat sends people indoors into air-conditioned spaces. We travel. We crowd into airports, airplanes, hotels, concerts, camps, and family gatherings. Then, toward the end of summer, millions of children head back into classrooms and millions of adults return from vacation carrying considerably more than souvenir T-shirts.

COVID likes people. We’ve got millions of them!

Is This COVID Different?

The virus circulating today is not identical to the one we dealt with a few years ago. SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, with descendants of the Omicron family replacing one another over time. Mutations sound scary, but a new variant does not automatically mean a more dangerous one.

The FDA has already selected the target for the updated 2026–27 vaccines: an XFG strain from the JN.1 family. The goal is to bring the vaccine’s immune target closer to the viruses circulating now.

Meanwhile, our collective immune system has changed too. Between vaccination, previous infections, or both, most Americans now have some immune memory against COVID. That is one reason an infection today is generally less likely to result in severe disease than it was early in the pandemic.

But “generally less dangerous” is not the same thing as harmless, particularly for older adults and people with medical conditions that increase their risk of complications.

Is it COVID, a Summer Cold, or Something Else?

Unfortunately, you really need a test to tell you that. Current COVID symptoms overlap enormously with other respiratory infections. They can include sore throat, congestion or runny nose, cough, fatigue, headache, fever or chills, muscle aches, shortness of breath, and sometimes nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Loss of taste or smell can still occur, although you should not wait for that once-famous symptom before considering COVID.

In other words, if you wake up feeling like you swallowed sandpaper and someone filled your head with cement, COVID belongs on the list of possibilities.

If COVID is Less Deadly, Why Bother Testing?

Testing can still be useful, especially if you are at increased risk for severe illness or you will be around someone who is. And remember that an at-home antigen test can be negative early in an infection. If your symptoms strongly suggest COVID but your first test is negative, repeating the test later may catch an infection that simply had not produced enough virus to register the first time.

If You Have COVID, What’s Your Best Move?

CDC guidance no longer requires everyone with COVID to isolate for a fixed number of days. Instead, stay home and away from other people while you are sick. You can resume normal activities once your symptoms have been improving overall for at least 24 hours and you have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.

Once you are back in circulation, for the next five days, be a little more considerate than usual. Improve ventilation, when possible, wash your hands more often, consider wearing a well-fitting mask around other people, and be particularly careful around anyone who is older or medically vulnerable.

And, if you feel lousy on Thursday but have a wedding on Friday, “technically I don’t have a fever” is not really the standard we’re going for.

Don’t Forget About Treatment

This is probably the most important part of the refresher. If you are older than 60, or have a condition that puts you at higher risk of severe COVID, call Amaze, or any healthcare provider early, even if your symptoms seem mild.

Antiviral treatments can substantially reduce the risk of hospitalization and serious illness in higher-risk patients, but there is a clock attached. Paxlovid generally needs to be started within five days of the beginning of symptoms. Remdesivir, another antiviral option, must be started within seven days.

Don’t wait until you feel terrible to ask whether you qualify. By then, you may have missed the treatment window.

And What About This Year’s COVID Shot?

COVID vaccines are no longer considered essential the way they were in 2021. But they are strongly recommended for people at higher risk of severe COVID. That includes older adults and people with certain underlying medical conditions or weakened immune systems.

Your timing can also depend on when you last had COVID or received a COVID vaccine. If you recently had an infection, you may already have a temporary boost in immunity, which can affect the ideal timing of your next dose. The 2026–27 vaccine will target the XFG lineage that more closely resembles viruses circulating now. Those vaccines are intended for use beginning this fall.

So, if you are thinking about getting vaccinated and you are not at particularly high risk, there may be a good reason not to rush out for an older formulation right now when the newly updated vaccine is about to arrive. If you are not sure, check with a healthcare provider who can help you figure it out.

The Bottom Line

COVID is still here. It will probably continue to rise and fall periodically, and we may eventually become as accustomed to those fluctuations as we are to flu season.

We certainly don’t need to panic every time the numbers rise. It also doesn’t mean we should pretend the virus is meaningless because we’ve gotten tired of talking about it.

If you’re sick, stay home until you’re improving. Test when knowing the answer could change what you do. Protect vulnerable people around you. If you’re at higher risk, ask about treatment early. And talk with your healthcare provider about whether and when the updated COVID vaccine makes sense for you.

In short, give COVID the amount of attention it deserves. No more. No less.