Infection rates throughout the U.S. are low. However, there are a few states that have NOT completed the Omicron surge. These include Idaho, Maine, Alaska, and Kentucky. Somehow Omicron came late to these states. Last month I noted that Idaho was low, indicating a late start with Omicron.
As I went state by state, most states had a drop in infections of around 80% from the prior month. That said many states up-ticked in their death rate. When cases go down but deaths don't the death rate #dead/#infected will rise.
The five states with the highest infection rates for the full pandemic are:
| State | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Alaska | 32.8% |
| Rhode Island | 32.5% |
| North Dakota | 30.6% |
| Tennessee | 29.1.4% |
| South Carolina | 28.6% |
Utah moved from 6th to 7th place on this list at 28.2%, just behind Kentucky at 28.5%.
The five states with the lowest infection rates (full pandemic)
| State | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | 16.2% |
| Oregon | 16.6% |
| Maryland | 16.9% |
| Maine | 16.9% |
| Vermont | 16.6% |
The five states with the highest infection rates for the last 28-days are:
| State | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Maine | 3.7% |
| Idaho | 2.3% |
| Alaska | 2.1% |
| Kentucky | 2.06% |
| Montana | 1.9% |
Last month Idaho was looking like it had somewhat escaped Omicron, this month it caught up. Alaska is the only state on this list two months in a row
The five states with the lowest infection rates for the last 28-days are:
| State | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Maryland | 0.33% |
| Ohio | 0.45% |
| New York | 0.45% |
| New Jersey | 0.50% |
| Connecticut | 0.52% |
Ohio was a surprise entry on this list. The others had all got Omicron early in the national surge.
States with the highest death rates (full pandemic) are:
| State | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 1.58% |
| Mississippi | 1.54% |
| New Jersey | 1.52%% |
| Michigan | 1.47% |
| Connecticut | 1.5% |
States with the lowest death rates for the (full pandemic) are:
| State | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Utah | 0.48% |
| Alaska | 0.49% |
| Vermont | 0.54% |
| Hawaii | 0.57% |
| New Hampshire | 0.82% |
Utah continues to be the best. Reasons: Younger average population and a solid healthcare system.
States with the highest death rates for the last 28 days:
| State | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 4.1% |
| Georgia | 3.54% |
| Indiana | 3.51% |
| Nevada | 1.43% |
| Virginia | 1.15% |
This list was radically different from last month. The named states clearly had challenges with addressing the needs of those infected with Omicron (at least the top 3.)
States with the lowest death rates for the last 28 days:
| State | Percentage |
|---|---|
| North Dakota | 0.34% |
| Maine | 0.61% |
| Alaska | 0.62% |
| Rhode Island | 0.71% |
| Idaho | 0.72% |
This list and the current situation show a shortcoming of the simple computation of death rate = #died/#infected. One way to have a low death rate is to have a huge number of people who were infected, but where relatively few of them died. For short time periods like 28-days this method can skew results and clearly did in this case.
For the first time ever, when I opened up the main page at Johns Hopkins University for tracking the pandemic, the United States was no longer at the top of the list! Early on that position went to the nation with the highest total infections. For the last couple of months, it has gone to the nation with the highest number of cases over the past 28 days. Finally, after almost two years the U.S. no longer held the top position.
Asia finally received the Omicron variant and the numbers exploded, and that includes China. Nearly 3/4 of China's reported cases occurred in the last 28 days! The winter olympics happened to coincide with the greatest spread of SARS-CoV-2 ever recorded there.
Thailand was also hit with about 20% of all their cases in the last 28 days. South Korea reported 3/4 of all their cases in the last 28 days as well! Vietnam also had about 33% of all their cases in the past 28 days.
Taiwan has been remarkable at stopping the spread of the virus. Their infection rate is just 0.09%. A remarkable accomplishment.
Total pandemic infection rates in Asia are much lower than in Europe, the United States, or Brazil.
Europe was surprisingly not as well off as the United States over the last 28 days as every country had a higher infection rate than the United States. Most of the European nations I follow have an infection rate similar to the United States around the 25% mark. France is much worse at 35%, while Germany is better at just 18%. Over the last 28 days, Germany's infection rate was the highest at nearly 6%, which indicates that 1/3 of all of Germany's infections occurred in the last 28 days!
| Country | 2010 Population | Total Infected Count | Overall Infection Rate | Infected last 28 days | Infection Rate last 28 days | Infected Prior 28 Days | Change 28 day Periods | % Change 28 day Periods | Total Deaths | Overall Death Rate | Deaths Last 28 Days | Death Rate Last 28 days | Deaths Prior 28 Days | Change 28 day Periods | % Change 28 day Periods |
| ASIA | |||||||||||||||
| China | 1,433,783,686 | 120,364 | 0.01% | 4256 | 0.00% | 3708 | 548 | 14.8% | 4,849 | 4.03% | 0 | 0.00% | 15 | -15 | 0.0% |
| India | 1,366,417,754 | 41,952,712 | 3.07% | 6726326 | 0.49% | 287982 | 6,438,344 | 2235.7% | 500,055 | 1.19% | 16,877 | 0.25% | 8,356 | 8,521 | 102.0% |
| Japan | 126,860,301 | 3,117,346 | 2.46% | 1277332 | 1.01% | 6000 | 1,271,332 | 21188.9% | 19,157 | 0.61% | 659 | 0.05% | 31 | 628 | 2025.8% |
| Philippines | 108,116,615 | 3,594,002 | 3.32% | 696544 | 0.64% | 17156 | 679,388 | 3960.1% | 54,214 | 1.51% | 2,425 | 0.35% | 2,184 | 241 | 11.0% |
| Viet Nam | 96,462,106 | 2,315,689 | 2.40% | 460532 | 0.48% | 453948 | 6,584 | 1.5% | 38,147 | 1.65% | 4,419 | 0.96% | 6,571 | -2,152 | -32.7% |
| Thailand | 69,625,582 | 2,475,632 | 3.56% | 230382 | 0.33% | 84317 | 146,065 | 173.2% | 22,250 | 0.90% | 470 | 0.20% | 754 | -284 | -37.7% |
| S. Korea | 51,225,308 | 934,656 | 1.82% | 277148 | 0.54% | 164849 | 112,299 | 68.1% | 6,836 | 0.73% | 904 | 0.33% | 1,837 | -933 | -50.8% |
| Taiwan | 23,773,876 | 19,029 | 0.08% | 1760 | 0.01% | 418 | 1,342 | 321.1% | 851 | 4.47% | 1 | 0.06% | 2 | -1 | -50.0% |
| Hong Kong | NA | ||||||||||||||
| Country | Population | Total Infected Count | Overall Infection Rate | Infected last 28 days | Infection Rate last 28 days | Infected Prior 28 Days | Change 28 day Periods | % Change 28 day Periods | Total Deaths | Overall Death Rate | Deaths Last 28 Days | Death Rate Last 28 days | Deaths Prior 28 Days | Change 28 day Periods | % Change 28 day Periods |
| EUROPE | |||||||||||||||
| Russia | 145,961,031 | 12,257,664 | 8.40% | 1,669,844 | 1.14% | 984,750 | 685,094 | 69.6% | 327,310 | 2.67% | 19,154 | 1.15% | 33,553 | -14,399 | -42.9% |
| Germany | 83,517,045 | 10,783,066 | 12.91% | 3,276,489 | 3.92% | 1,398,317 | 1,878,172 | 134.3% | 118,548 | 1.10% | 4,872 | 0.15% | 6,514 | -1,642 | -25.2% |
| U.K. | 67,530,172 | 17,809,736 | 26.37% | 3,626,931 | 5.37% | 1,162,883 | 2,464,048 | 211.9% | 158,521 | 0.89% | 8,273 | 0.23% | 3,827 | 4,446 | 116.2% |
| France | 65,129,728 | 20,517,048 | 31.50% | 8,984,700 | 13.80% | 668,018 | 8,316,682 | 1245.0% | 133,202 | 0.65% | 4,414 | 0.05% | 6,845 | -2,431 | -35.5% |
| Italy | 60,550,075 | 11,449,601 | 18.91% | 4,373,236 | 7.22% | 291,847 | 4,081,389 | 1398.5% | 148,167 | 1.29% | 9,260 | 0.21% | 1,787 | 7,473 | 418.2% |
| Spain | 46,692,858 | 10,199,716 | 21.84% | 3,277,250 | 7.02% | 177,319 | 3,099,931 | 1748.2% | 94,040 | 0.92% | 4,203 | 0.13% | 655 | 3,548 | 541.7% |
| Greece | 10,473,455 | 2,020,846 | 19.29% | 580,186 | 5.54% | 105,142 | 475,044 | 451.8% | 23,927 | 1.18% | 2,648 | 0.46% | 2,273 | 375 | 16.5% |
| Sweden | 10,036,379 | 2,287,785 | 22.79% | 884,389 | 8.81% | 35,051 | 849,338 | 2423.1% | 16,180 | 0.71% | 731 | 0.08% | 113 | 618 | 546.9% |
| Country | Population | Total Infected Count | Overall Infection Rate | Infected last 28 days | Infection Rate last 28 days | Infected Prior 28 Days | Change 28 day Periods | % Change 28 day Periods | Total Deaths | Overall Death Rate | Deaths Last 28 Days | Death Rate Last 28 days | Deaths Prior 28 Days | Change 28 day Periods | % Change 28 day Periods |
| AMERICAS | |||||||||||||||
| U.S.A | 329,064,917 | 76,144,354 | 23.14% | 17,358,977 | 5.28% | 788,205 | 16,570,772 | 2102.3% | 899,754 | 1.18% | 60,020 | 0.35% | 32,769 | 27,251 | 83.2% |
| Canada | 37,411,047 | 3,101,368 | 8.29% | 674,852 | 1.80% | 76,052 | 598,800 | 787.4% | 34,488 | 1.11% | 3,793 | 0.56% | 627 | 3,166 | 504.9% |
| Brazil | 212,559,417 | 26,107,894 | 12.28% | 3,720,964 | 1.75% | 263,923 | 3,457,041 | 1309.9% | 630,301 | 2.41% | 10,647 | 0.29% | 6,182 | 4,465 | 72.2% |
| Middle East | |||||||||||||||
| Iran | 82,913,906 | 6,520,707 | 7.86% | 280,753 | 0.34% | 151,096 | 129,657 | 85.8% | 132,681 | 2.03% | 822 | 0.29% | 2,951 | -2,129 | -72.1% |
| Turkey | 83,809,754 | 12,680,321 | 15.13% | 3,153,421 | 3.76% | 667,385 | 2,486,036 | 372.5% | 88,312 | 0.70% | 4,833 | 0.15% | 5,718 | -885 | -15.5% |
| Other | |||||||||||||||
| Australia | 25,203,198 | 2,680,321 | 10.63% | 1,914,481 | 7.60% | 37,522 | 1,876,959 | 5002.3% | 2,266 | 0.08% | 1,752 | 0.09% | 235 | 1,517 | 645.5% |
| UNITED STATES | |||||||||||||||
| State | 2010 Population | Total Infected Count | Overall Infection Rate | Infected last 28 days | Infection Rate last 28 days | Infected Prior 28 Days | Change 28 day Periods | % Change 28 day Periods | Total Deaths | Overall Death Rate | Deaths Last 28 Days | Death Rate Last 28 days | Deaths Prior 28 Days | Change 28 day Periods | % Change 28 day Periods |
| Maine | 1,362,359 | 179,915 | 13.21% | 27,657 | 2.03% | 15,346 | 12,311 | 80% | 1,800 | 1.00% | 185 | 0.67% | 129 | 56 | 43.4% |
| Maryland | 6,045,680 | 961,805 | 15.91% | 171,236 | 2.83% | 27,324 | 143,912 | 527% | 13,655 | 1.42% | 1,563 | 0.91% | 290 | 1,273 | 439.0% |
| Idaho | 1,839,106 | 387,278 | 21.06% | 61,557 | 3.35% | 12,570 | 48,987 | 390% | 4,446 | 1.15% | 243 | 0.39% | 324 | -81 | -25.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 13,002,700 | 2,688,808 | 20.68% | 502,405 | 3.86% | 166,507 | 335,898 | 202% | 41,359 | 1.54% | 3,833 | 0.76% | 1,962 | 1,871 | 95.4% |
| Connecticut | 3,605,944 | 704,871 | 19.55% | 141,236 | 3.92% | 20,306 | 120,930 | 596% | 10,083 | 1.43% | 802 | 0.57% | 135 | 667 | 494.1% |
| Iowa | 3,190,369 | 724,912 | 22.72% | 126,293 | 3.96% | 40,216 | 86,077 | 214% | 8,657 | 1.19% | 638 | 0.51% | 376 | 262 | 69.7% |
| Ohio | 11,799,448 | 2,072,663 | 17.57% | 468,975 | 3.97% | 157,835 | 311,140 | 197% | 34,217 | 1.65% | 1,316 | 0.28% | 661 | 655 | 99.1% |
| Montana | 1,084,225 | 245,606 | 22.65% | 43,866 | 4.05% | 11,784 | 32,082 | 272% | 3,029 | 1.23% | 113 | 0.26% | 334 | -221 | -66.2% |
| New Jersey | 9,288,994 | 2,126,230 | 22.89% | 379,205 | 4.08% | 62,689 | 316,516 | 505% | 31,868 | 1.50% | 2,454 | 0.65% | 372 | 2,082 | 559.7% |
| Virginia | 8,631,393 | 1,572,022 | 18.21% | 362,795 | 4.20% | 43,057 | 319,738 | 743% | 16,703 | 1.06% | 906 | 0.25% | 628 | 278 | 44.3% |
| Georgia | 10,711,908 | 2,394,327 | 22.35% | 465,385 | 4.34% | 27,839 | 437,546 | 1572% | 33,294 | 1.39% | 1,773 | 0.38% | 1,172 | 601 | 51.3% |
| Missouri | 6,137,428 | 1,354,367 | 22.07% | 281,104 | 4.58% | 57,888 | 223,216 | 386% | 17,843 | 1.32% | 1,361 | 0.48% | 2,859 | -1,498 | -52.4% |
| New York | 20,201,249 | 4,833,336 | 23.93% | 940,738 | 4.66% | 184,259 | 756,479 | 411% | 65,315 | 1.35% | 5,255 | 0.56% | 1,033 | 4,222 | 408.7% |
| Nebraska | 1,961,504 | 445,793 | 22.73% | 91,639 | 4.67% | 24,653 | 66,986 | 272% | 3,731 | 0.84% | 289 | 0.32% | 179 | 110 | 61.5% |
| Illinois | 12,812,508 | 2,957,538 | 23.08% | 599,565 | 4.68% | 122,090 | 477,475 | 391% | 33,727 | 1.14% | 2,863 | 0.48% | 587 | 2,276 | 387.7% |
| Michigan | 10,077,331 | 2,295,050 | 22.77% | 474,272 | 4.71% | 207,670 | 266,602 | 128% | 32,873 | 1.43% | 2,979 | 0.63% | 2,133 | 846 | 39.7% |
| Oregon | 4,237,256 | 649,389 | 15.33% | 200,122 | 4.72% | 22,432 | 177,690 | 792% | 6,181 | 0.95% | 453 | 0.23% | 681 | -228 | -33.5% |
| South Dakota | 886,667 | 230,240 | 25.97% | 42,204 | 4.76% | 11,276 | 30,928 | 274% | 2,687 | 1.17% | 157 | 0.37% | 90 | 67 | 74.4% |
| Indiana | 6,785,528 | 1,646,937 | 24.27% | 328,937 | 4.85% | 82,276 | 246,661 | 300% | 21,712 | 1.32% | 2,218 | 0.67% | 814 | 1,404 | 172.5% |
| Texas | 29,145,605 | 6,381,059 | 21.89% | 1,420,039 | 4.87% | 91,272 | 1,328,767 | 1456% | 80,442 | 1.26% | 4,032 | 0.28% | 2,255 | 1,777 | 78.8% |
| New Hampshire | 1,377,529 | 279,842 | 20.31% | 67,890 | 4.93% | 26,250 | 41,640 | 159% | 2,239 | 0.80% | 222 | 0.33% | 142 | 80 | 56.3% |
| Colorado | 5,773,714 | 1,229,443 | 21.29% | 287,006 | 4.97% | 78,134 | 208,872 | 267% | 11,194 | 0.91% | 792 | 0.28% | 937 | -145 | -15.5% |
| Louisiana | 4,657,757 | 1,133,482 | 24.34% | 233,650 | 5.02% | 10,940 | 222,710 | 2036% | 15,905 | 1.40% | 802 | 0.34% | 211 | 591 | 280.1% |
| Florida | 21,538,187 | 5,590,369 | 25.96% | 1,086,481 | 5.04% | 39,748 | 1,046,733 | 2633% | 65,993 | 1.18% | 2,651 | 0.24% | 1,367 | 1,284 | 93.9% |
| Nevada | 3,104,614 | 663,107 | 21.36% | 158,378 | 5.10% | 16,316 | 142,062 | 871% | 9,083 | 1.37% | 578 | 0.36% | 357 | 221 | 61.9% |
| State | 2010 Population | Total Infected Count | Overall Infection Rate | Infected last 28 days | Infection Rate last 28 days | Infected Prior 28 Days | Change 28 day Periods | % Change 28 day Periods | Total Deaths | Overall Death Rate | Deaths Last 28 Days | Death Rate Last 28 days | Deaths Prior 28 Days | Change 28 day Periods | % Change 28 day Periods |
| Minnesota | 5,706,494 | 1,359,058 | 23.82% | 296,212 | 5.19% | 111,923 | 184,289 | 165% | 11,749 | 0.86% | 838 | 0.28% | 788 | 50 | 6.3% |
| Delaware | 989,948 | 250,311 | 25.29% | 51,804 | 5.23% | 10,310 | 41,494 | 402% | 2,563 | 1.02% | 233 | 0.45% | 75 | 158 | 210.7% |
| Wyoming | 576,851 | 149,126 | 25.85% | 30,232 | 5.24% | 6,494 | 23,738 | 366% | 1,650 | 1.11% | 78 | 0.26% | 185 | -107 | -57.8% |
| Massachusetts | 7,029,917 | 1,625,704 | 23.13% | 374,205 | 5.32% | 74,364 | 299,841 | 403% | 22,316 | 1.37% | 1,806 | 0.48% | 402 | 1,404 | 349.3% |
| Vermont | 643,077 | 106,690 | 16.59% | 34,232 | 5.32% | 10,287 | 23,945 | 233% | 553 | 0.52% | 66 | 0.19% | 32 | 34 | 106.3% |
| Tennessee | 6,910,840 | 1,894,005 | 27.41% | 379,205 | 5.49% | 36,509 | 342,696 | 939% | 22,850 | 1.21% | 1,835 | 0.48% | 890 | 945 | 106.2% |
| Mississippi | 2,961,279 | 744,023 | 25.13% | 164,250 | 5.55% | 8,948 | 155,302 | 1736% | 11,202 | 1.51% | 691 | 0.42% | 148 | 543 | 366.9% |
| Alabama | 5,024,279 | 1,229,300 | 24.47% | 284,424 | 5.66% | 12,397 | 272,027 | 2194% | 17,215 | 1.40% | 672 | 0.24% | 351 | 321 | 91.5% |
| Washington | 7,708,281 | 1,355,428 | 17.58% | 441,448 | 5.73% | 43,137 | 398,311 | 923% | 10,845 | 0.80% | 871 | 0.20% | 615 | 256 | 41.6% |
| New Mexico | 2,117,522 | 487,604 | 23.03% | 122,743 | 5.80% | 37,778 | 84,965 | 225% | 6,516 | 1.34% | 547 | 0.45% | 294 | 253 | 86.1% |
| West Virginia | 1,793,716 | 458,112 | 25.54% | 107,647 | 6.00% | 22,694 | 84,953 | 374% | 5,846 | 1.28% | 437 | 0.41% | 444 | -7 | -1.6% |
| Wisconsin | 5,893,718 | 1,535,404 | 26.05% | 360,892 | 6.12% | 98,041 | 262,851 | 268% | 12,600 | 0.82% | 1,172 | 0.32% | 592 | 580 | 98.0% |
| Rhode Island | 1,097,379 | 347,901 | 31.70% | 67,890 | 6.19% | 13,779 | 54,111 | 393% | 3,354 | 0.96% | 229 | 0.34% | 60 | 169 | 281.7% |
| Kentucky | 4,505,836 | 1,185,431 | 26.31% | 280,515 | 6.23% | 43,831 | 236,684 | 540% | 13,026 | 1.10% | 707 | 0.25% | 1,152 | -445 | -38.6% |
| North Dakota | 779,094 | 229,271 | 29.43% | 48,926 | 6.28% | 12,895 | 36,031 | 279% | 2,174 | 0.95% | 96 | 0.20% | 126 | -30 | -23.8% |
| Hawaii | 1,455,271 | 224,793 | 15.45% | 92,209 | 6.34% | 3,236 | 88,973 | 2749% | 1,204 | 0.54% | 96 | 0.10% | 82 | 14 | 17.1% |
| North Carolina | 10,439,388 | 2,470,242 | 23.66% | 669,951 | 6.42% | 54,891 | 615,060 | 1121% | 21,097 | 0.85% | 1,441 | 0.22% | 574 | 867 | 151.0% |
| Arkansas | 3,011,524 | 790,223 | 26.24% | 193,814 | 6.44% | 16,994 | 176,820 | 1040% | 9,733 | 1.23% | 455 | 0.23% | 238 | 217 | 91.2% |
| Kansas | 2,937,880 | 744,712 | 25.35% | 190,035 | 6.47% | 34,167 | 155,868 | 456% | 7,702 | 1.03% | 510 | 0.27% | 236 | 274 | 116.1% |
| Arizona | 7,151,502 | 1,894,335 | 26.49% | 464,094 | 6.49% | 22,593 | 441,501 | 1954% | 26,430 | 1.40% | 1,844 | 0.40% | 1,153 | 691 | 59.9% |
| Oklahoma | 3,956,971 | 992,932 | 25.09% | 257,035 | 6.50% | 22,211 | 234,824 | 1057% | 13,532 | 1.36% | 910 | 0.35% | 1,120 | -210 | -18.8% |
| California | 39,538,223 | 8,595,283 | 21.74% | 2,599,199 | 6.57% | 147,126 | 2,452,073 | 1667% | 80,798 | 0.94% | 3,886 | 0.15% | 2,289 | 1,597 | 69.8% |
| Utah | 3,271,616 | 895,459 | 27.37% | 222,892 | 6.81% | 41,384 | 181,508 | 439% | 4,160 | 0.46% | 292 | 0.13% | 278 | 14 | 5.0% |
| South Carolina | 5,118,425 | 1,406,933 | 27.49% | 365,020 | 7.13% | 19,393 | 345,627 | 1782% | 15,791 | 1.12% | 999 | 0.27% | 431 | 568 | 131.8% |
| Alaska | 733,391 | 224,311 | 30.59% | 59,399 | 8.10% | 9,866 | 49,533 | 502% | 1,093 | 0.49% | 114 | 0.19% | 142 | -28 | -19.7% |
The Omicron surge has collapsed. The latest 7-day moving average of new cases of Covid-19 has dropped to 1,805. Between January 1, 2022, and today there were 273,899 new cases reported in Utah, and thousands more that were never reported.
Over the coming weeks, I expect many things to move toward normalization. Job growth will accelerate (which is good because that will help reduce supply chain problems). More people will start to plan summer vacations. While the conference center won't be full the first weekend in April, there will be the largest number of attendees since October Conference 2019. The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square will start doing weekly in-person performances of "Music and the Spoken Word." In general, people can again visit with each other, with little worry of infection. President Biden will again proclaim the end of the pandemic.
The only thing I think that can derail this would be a new variant that can largely defeat current vaccines and prior infection.
I think I will stop following the pandemic around March 15. Two years is a lot longer than I expedted to track this huge public health challenge.
Utah's governor declared victory yesterday, saying that the state no longer needs to be involved. In ny my view stake government HAS NEVER been appropriately involved except for vaccine distribution in the earliest days of that effort. The state is near tops in the nation with respect to the percentage of the population that were infected.
Utah's governor declared victory yesterday, saying that the state no longer needs to be involved. In my view, the state government HAS NEVER been appropriately involved except for vaccine distribution in the earliest days of that effort. The state is near tops in the nation with respect to the percentage of the population that has been infected.
Deaths remain very high, but they are always a lagging indicator.
If there is not a new variant that evades vaccines and treatments, this pandemic is coming to a close.
New studies suggest that T-cells generated by vaccine or infection appear to be hanging around to supply protection for perhaps years to come.
So what's next? I think the next six months will show low levels of transmission unless a new strain of the virus appears that eludes vaccines and prior infections. Following that, it will depend on how long resistance from vaccination/infection lasts.
It is time to store the masks (if you are fully vaccinated) and celebrate. With a bit of luck, this could be the end of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. It is well past time for this to be over!
