Back-to-school Season Brings Rise in COVID Activity, Local Testing Shows

9/2/2026

As students return to classrooms, sports and extracurricular activities, COVID-19 is once again showing signs of increased activity in the Victoria area — a pattern that also was seen during last year’s back-to-school season.

According to DeTar Healthcare System’s internal testing reporting, DeTar On Demand Walk-In Clinic recorded 99 positive COVID-19 tests in August 2026, compared with 103 positive tests during August 2025. The nearly identical numbers provide a snapshot of a similar back-to-school pattern locally over the past two years. The comparison is particularly notable as outpatient clinics have become a more common testing location, while fewer patients are being tested through hospital emergency departments and other hospital settings.

At DeTar’s hospitals, 24 positive COVID-19 tests were recorded in August 2026, compared with 127 in August 2025. The lower hospital total reflects a shift in where patients are seeking COVID-19 testing and should not be interpreted on its own as an indication that COVID-19 activity has declined in the community.

According to Martha Young, clinical director of DeTar Laboratory, outpatient clinics such as DeTar On Demand Walk-In Clinic have become the primary testing locations for COVID-19 in 2026. “Since more patients are being tested in the outpatient clinic setting, the hospital testing numbers are naturally lower than they were in previous years.”

Looking at DeTar’s internal testing reporting across both settings, 123 positive COVID-19 tests were recorded in August 2026, compared with 230 combined positive tests during August 2025. While the overall number of positive tests was lower this year, DeTar On Demand Walk-In Clinic alone saw nearly the same number of positive tests as it did during the same month last year — highlighting the importance of considering where testing is occurring when looking at year-over-year numbers.

The local testing reporting from DeTar Healthcare System comes as COVID-19 activity is increasing across Texas. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), 105 confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases were reported in Texas for the week ending Aug. 22, 2026, an increase of 54.2% from the previous week.

As of Aug. 7, the CDC reported that the amount of acute respiratory illness causing people to seek health care remained very low nationally, while COVID-19 activity was increasing in the West and South. CDC estimates also indicated that COVID-19 infections were growing or likely growing in 43 states as of Aug. 5.

For local healthcare providers, the timing coincides with the return to school, when children spend more time together in classrooms, on buses, at athletic events and in other group settings.

“Back-to-school season brings a lot more close contact between children, and that creates more opportunities for viruses to spread,” said Sheila Browning, FNP-C, a provider with DeTar On Demand Walk-In Clinic. “Children are sharing classrooms, buses, sports and activities, and it’s very easy for those germs to make their way from school to home.”

COVID-19 can also be difficult to distinguish from other respiratory illnesses based on symptoms alone.

“Fever, cough, congestion, sore throat and fatigue can occur with COVID, the flu and other common viruses,” Browning said. “Testing can help you know what you’re dealing with and make better decisions about staying home, returning to school or work and protecting family members.”

While COVID-19 activity is increasing in some areas, it remains one of several respiratory illnesses circulating in the community. CDC data show seasonal influenza activity remains low, while RSV activity is very low in most areas of the country.

For families, some of the most effective precautions are also the simplest: stay home when sick, wash hands regularly, cover coughs and sneezes, avoid close contact with others when experiencing symptoms and consider testing when respiratory symptoms develop.

Parents should also pay attention to how symptoms progress, particularly when a child or family member is feeling significantly ill.

“It’s important to listen to your body and pay attention to how symptoms are progressing,” Browning said. “If you’re sick, give yourself time to recover and try to avoid spreading it to others. And if symptoms are severe, persistent or you’re concerned, don’t hesitate to seek medical care.”

As the school year gets into full swing, healthcare providers say awareness can help families recognize symptoms early and reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses.

For parents, that may mean keeping a child home when they’re sick, getting tested when appropriate and knowing when symptoms warrant medical attention.

The goal is simple: Get kids back to school healthy — and keep the germs from making the trip home.

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