CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Scientists and even President Donald Trump were hopeful that warm summer temperatures would help slow down the spread of COVID-19.
Unfortunately, the opposite has happened, and now experts say we can only blame ourselves for the rise in coronavirus cases.
So, why are cases still surging? Medical experts say it boils down to three key things: a lack of immunity, how the coronavirus spreads and our own personal behavior.
First, scientists say the warm weather only slows down the spread of a virus after a majority of the population is immune to it. Doctors have also learned more about how COVID-19 spreads. Initially studies suggested sunlight could kill the virus on surfaces, but now we know it's very unlikely to catch the virus that way; instead, it spreads through droplets in the air, something sunlight can't protect us from.
But perhaps the most important factor of all is our behavior. The summer weather and businesses reopening means we're getting out and about more often. Unfortunately, that also means more people are taking less precautions than they did in the spring when the pandemic first began.
The good news is it's still in our control. Scientists say wearing masks and social distancing will help end this pandemic.