COVID-19 is rising again in the United States, but current evidence does not point to a return of the 2020–2021 pandemic situation. As of the latest available updates in August 2026, SARS-CoV-2 activity remains relatively low compared with the major waves of the pandemic, while infections are increasing in parts of the country and a broader summer wave has emerged.
The latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) respiratory-virus data show that COVID-19 activity is low in many regions but increasing in the West and South. At the same time, recent reporting based on CDC epidemic modeling indicates that infections are growing or likely growing across most of the country.
That combination explains why searches for is covid coming back are increasing: COVID-19 has not disappeared, and the virus continues to produce periodic waves even though the public-health situation is very different from the height of the pandemic.
Is COVID Coming Back in 2026?
Yes, COVID-19 is showing signs of a new increase in the United States in August 2026. However, saying that COVID-19 is “coming back” requires some context.
The virus never completely went away. SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate globally, and the World Health Organization (WHO) says the virus remains capable of causing severe illness and death, particularly among people at higher risk. WHO’s August 2026 risk assessment continues to classify the global public-health risk from COVID-19 as moderate.
What is happening now is better described as another COVID-19 wave rather than a return of the original pandemic.
Recent U.S. data indicate that infections began increasing in parts of the South and West during July before becoming more widespread. By August, health experts were describing the development as a summer wave.
A recent USA TODAY report said CDC estimates showed infections growing or likely growing in 47 states, while wastewater monitoring also showed a substantial increase in coronavirus levels during August.
Why Are COVID Cases Rising Again?
COVID-19 has increasingly developed a pattern of recurring waves rather than following only the winter respiratory-virus season.
Several factors can contribute to an increase:
- Waning immunity after previous infection or vaccination
- Continued evolution of SARS-CoV-2
- Increased travel and indoor gatherings
- Large numbers of people having little recent exposure to the virus
- Differences in immunity and transmission between communities
- Circulation of newer variants
The current increase does not necessarily mean that the virus has suddenly become more dangerous. Instead, it reflects the continuing ability of SARS-CoV-2 to spread among a population with varying levels of immunity.
Recent reporting also indicates that the current wave remains much less severe than the enormous surges seen earlier in the pandemic.
What the CDC Says About COVID Right Now
The CDC’s latest respiratory illness update available in August 2026 provides an important distinction between increasing transmission and overall disease burden.
As of August 14, the CDC said acute respiratory illness causing people to seek health care remained very low nationally. COVID-19 activity was described as low in many regions, although it was increasing in the West and South. Influenza activity was also very low, while RSV activity remained very low in most areas.
This means Americans may encounter more COVID infections without seeing hospitals overwhelmed as they were during earlier pandemic waves.
Recent CNN reporting similarly noted that COVID-19 case numbers were increasing while hospitalizations and deaths remained relatively low. The report said CDC data showed the COVID test-positivity rate for the week ending August 8 had moved above 3% for the first time since March.
Is There a Summer COVID Wave in the U.S.?
There is evidence of a summer wave.
COVID-19 has increasingly demonstrated the ability to produce more than one significant period of transmission during a year. The latest increase began in parts of the South and West and has spread more broadly.
Wastewater surveillance is particularly useful because routine case reporting is no longer as comprehensive as it was during the pandemic. Recent reporting citing WastewaterSCAN found coronavirus concentrations in August were substantially higher than in July.
Wastewater data do not provide an exact count of infections. Instead, they provide an early indication that the virus is circulating more widely in communities.
That makes wastewater surveillance an important tool for understanding whether COVID-19 transmission is increasing when fewer people are receiving traditional laboratory tests.
Are COVID Hospitalizations Increasing?
The current evidence does not suggest a return to the extraordinary hospitalization levels associated with the biggest pandemic waves.
The CDC currently describes overall acute respiratory illness activity as very low. COVID-19 activity, however, is increasing in certain parts of the country.
This distinction is important.
More infections can occur without producing the same number of severe outcomes seen in 2020 or 2021. Previous infections, vaccination, improved medical treatment and changes in the virus have all contributed to a substantially different risk environment.
Nevertheless, COVID-19 can still cause serious illness, particularly among older adults and people with other risk factors.
WHO continues to warn that SARS-CoV-2 retains the capacity to cause severe disease and fatalities, especially among high-risk populations.
Which COVID Variant Is Circulating in 2026?
XFG is an important variant in the current COVID-19 landscape.
CDC wastewater surveillance identified XFG as the predominant SARS-CoV-2 variant in its national wastewater variant data.
The Food and Drug Administration has also selected the JN.1-lineage XFG variant as the preferred strain for the updated U.S. COVID-19 vaccine formula intended for fall 2026.
The FDA said its May 2026 advisory process considered circulating variants, vaccine effectiveness, immunogenicity and other available evidence before recommending XFG for the 2026–2027 vaccine formula.
The emergence of XFG does not by itself mean that a dangerous new pandemic variant has appeared. Variant surveillance is designed to identify changes in the virus and determine whether they could affect public health.
Will There Be a New COVID Vaccine for Fall 2026?
Yes. The FDA has established the 2026–2027 COVID-19 vaccine formula for use beginning in fall 2026, with the JN.1-lineage XFG variant selected as the preferred target.
This is significant because it shows that public-health agencies continue to update COVID-19 vaccines as SARS-CoV-2 evolves.
For the 2025–2026 season, CDC guidance recommended COVID-19 vaccination for people ages 6 months and older through individual-based decision-making, with particular emphasis on people at increased risk of severe disease.
People should check the latest CDC and FDA recommendations when the 2026–2027 vaccines become available because recommendations, eligibility and timing can change.
Should People Be Worried About COVID Coming Back?
There is reason to pay attention, but the current data do not indicate that Americans are facing a repeat of the early pandemic.
The most important distinction is between increasing infections and increasing severe disease.
COVID-19 infections are currently rising from a relatively low baseline. Recent CDC data describe national acute respiratory illness activity as very low, even while COVID-19 transmission is increasing in parts of the country.
That is very different from a situation in which hospitals are rapidly filling with COVID patients.
Still, people should not assume that COVID-19 is harmless. Older adults, people with certain underlying health conditions and other individuals at elevated risk can face more serious consequences from infection.
WHO’s latest assessment emphasizes that SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate worldwide and that uncertainty remains around repeated infections and post-COVID conditions.
What Are the Current COVID Symptoms?
Symptoms can vary from person to person and can overlap with influenza, RSV, allergies and other respiratory infections.
Common COVID-19 symptoms can include:
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Fever or chills
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Muscle or body aches
- Congestion or runny nose
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea or other gastrointestinal symptoms
- Loss or change of taste or smell in some people
Because symptoms can overlap with other illnesses, symptoms alone cannot reliably determine whether someone has COVID-19.
People who develop concerning symptoms or have a higher risk of severe disease should contact a healthcare professional for appropriate advice.
Should You Take a COVID Test?
Testing can still be useful when someone develops symptoms or has a known exposure, particularly if knowing the diagnosis could affect treatment or precautions around other people.
Testing is also more relevant when COVID activity is increasing in the community.
The FDA continues to regulate COVID-19 tests and other medical products even though the federal COVID-19 public health emergency ended in 2023. In June 2026, federal health authorities also announced a future termination of the COVID-19 emergency-use authorization framework, with the termination scheduled to take effect in June 2027.
The end of the federal emergency framework does not mean SARS-CoV-2 has disappeared. It reflects the transition from an emergency pandemic response toward ongoing management of COVID-19 as a continuing respiratory disease.
Should You Wear a Mask Again?
Masking is no longer a universal requirement in the United States, but it can remain a practical precaution in certain circumstances.
The CDC advises people with respiratory symptoms to take steps to reduce the spread of infection, including considering masking and practicing good hygiene.
People may also choose to wear a well-fitting mask in crowded indoor environments when respiratory-virus activity is increasing, particularly if they live with or frequently interact with people at higher risk.
The decision can depend on local transmission, personal risk, health status and the circumstances of the gathering.
Is COVID Coming Back Like It Did in 2020?
No evidence currently indicates a return to the conditions of 2020.
The current situation differs in several major ways.
COVID-19 is now an established circulating respiratory virus rather than a newly emerging pathogen. Immunity in the population is much greater than it was at the beginning of the pandemic, vaccines and treatments are available, and healthcare professionals have extensive experience managing COVID-19.
The WHO says the direct public-health impact of COVID-19 has declined considerably compared with the early phases of the pandemic, although SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate and can still cause severe disease.
Therefore, the current summer increase should not automatically be interpreted as the beginning of another 2020-style pandemic.
What Happens Next With COVID-19?
The next few weeks will be important for determining whether the current summer wave continues to grow, levels off or begins declining.
The CDC updates respiratory-virus information regularly, and wastewater surveillance can help identify changes in community transmission.
The arrival of the fall respiratory-virus season will also be important. COVID-19 could continue circulating alongside influenza and RSV, potentially producing another period of increased respiratory illness.
However, it is too early to predict the exact size or severity of the next wave.
Bottom Line: Is COVID Coming Back?
Yes, COVID-19 is coming back in the sense that infections are currently increasing again across much of the United States after a period of relatively low activity. The latest evidence points to a 2026 summer wave, with the West and South among the areas seeing increases and recent reporting indicating that the trend has become more widespread.
But this is not currently a repeat of the original COVID-19 pandemic. National respiratory illness levels remain very low, and there is no current evidence of the type of healthcare-system crisis associated with the largest pandemic surges.
COVID-19 is now being managed as a continuing respiratory virus that can rise and fall over time. The most important developments to watch are infection trends, wastewater levels, hospitalizations, deaths, variant changes and the rollout of the 2026–2027 vaccine formula.
For the latest information, readers should rely on updates from the CDC, FDA and WHO rather than social-media rumors or isolated reports.
Have you noticed more COVID cases or respiratory illness in your community? Share your experience in the comments and stay tuned for the latest verified updates.