COVID-19 cases are on the rise in most states across the country, including right here in Minnesota, according to the CDC. 

This is the fourth summer COVID-19 has been in existence, and by now, we have come to expect a spike in case numbers in July.

A CDC wastewater surveillance system map from July 11 shows case numbers in Minnesota are high, which could be attributed to Fourth of July gatherings and summer travel.

“I expect there to be a little bit more of a spike as we head into July and August, but I’m not overly concerned,” said KSTP Medical Expert Dr. Archelle Georgiou.

Dr. Georgiou says a more telling statistic might be the hospitalization numbers.

According to the most recent MDH data, those numbers have increased slightly but are nowhere near the peaks we’ve seen in previous years. She says it’s because our immune systems are adapting.

“We are really fortunate to have smart immune systems, so the reason we are not getting as sick as we were four years ago is that our immune systems have gotten smart. They’ve gotten smart because we’ve gotten vaccinated, and if we haven’t gotten vaccinated, we have been exposed,” she said.

Dr. Georgiou says that if you are symptomatic, you should still test and limit your exposure to people who are high-risk. 

A new formulation of the COVID-19 vaccine is in the works and could be ready as early as August.