As the coronavirus raged through New York and New Jersey in March and April, some experts expressed cautious hope that summer weather might slow its spread. It was a reasonable assumption. After all, heat and humidity degrade many viruses, and colds and flu taper off in the summer as people spend more time outdoors. In the heat of midsummer, however, those hopes were dashed. Covid-19 cases surged in many states, though, thankfully, death rates remained comparatively low, and the outbreaks are subsiding in most areas. The country's hottest regions, including Florida, Arizona, and Southern California experienced the biggest surges in cases.
