Maryland is seeing a new wave of COVID cases, but don’t expect much masking or testing

COVID-19 cases are rising again in Maryland and around the country, a smallish wave so far but a reminder that the virus is sticking around and could cause trouble in the fall and winter when flu and respiratory syncytial virus could also make another significant comeback. A new COVID variant has emerged that is better at circumventing people’s immune defenses and spreading faster, prompting a rise in hospitalizations and a continued small number of daily deaths. How many cases there are is unknown with fewer tests performed and reported.