COVID cases are surging in Maryland just a week before children go back to school.

The Maryland Department of Health’s COVID dashboard shows a more than 40% increase in cases in the last month.

Currently, there are 3.2 cases for every 100,000 people in the state.

It’s common to see the virus spread in late summer due to lower humidity and cooler temperatures.

Local grocery stores, health departments and physicians are offering vaccines as the weather will soon start to get colder and people will be in closer proximity as they retreat indoors.

Medical experts also say it’s time to ensure children are up-to-date on their vaccines.

Maryland residents attending school must be vaccinated for a host of diseases like diphtheria, chicken pox, measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis, polio and hepatitis B, depending on their age.

The state has seen an increase in religious vaccination exemptions over the years since the pandemic.

Last year, 1.7% of kindergarteners received exemptions, according to MDH.

That’s the highest number since the 2019-2020 school year.