Feeling strangely lethargic? Tired for no obvious reason? You probably will not want to think this is possible, especially because it may still be moving under the radar, but part of me thinks we may be heading into the largest COVID bounce since 2022, beginning now in August and continuing into the fall. COVID is already beginning to rise broadly. As of July 29, 2026, the CDC estimated that infections were growing or likely growing in 41 states, unchanged in seven, and declining in none. New York was classified as likely growing, with an estimated probability of 88%. The national epidemic trend was also classified as growing, with an estimated Rt of approximately 1.08. At the same time, the absolute level remained low: roughly 0.2% of weekly emergency-department visits were diagnosed as COVID-related, and the CDC described respiratory activity as low and stable nationally, while beginning to show early signs of an increase in the West and South. In New York City, the clinical signal remained muted. COVID-related emergency-department visits were approximately 0.18% for the week ending around July 25. There was not yet evidence of a major national wave in hospitalizations, emergency-department visits, or wastewater activity relative to prior peaks. I imagine the same direction may be developing worldwide, although the U.S. data alone cannot establish that. The unexplained lethargy remains an interpretation, not proof of causation. It could be heat, disrupted sleep, stress, another circulating respiratory illness, or something unrelated. But the timing is real: modeled COVID transmission is beginning to rise while many people seem unusually tired. Whether those two things are connected remains unproven. If they are, this rebound may already be further along, more concealed, and considerably larger than it currently appears—and it may surprise everyone.