People are still being affected by COVID. About 30,000 people (mostly unvaccinated) tested positive daily in the past 7 days. Overall, COVID cases in the US are low, but in Europe, they are on the rise again after a sharp drop from the omicron peak. Scientists are tracking and reporting new variants. Vaccines protect from severe outcomes.

1. Masking guidelines are relaxed in many places, and the number of COVID- 19 cases is dropping in the U.S. compared to some months back. Yet, there are many reasons that COVID might not be over: 

a. New variants can arise. An example is the BA.2 subvariant spreading 80% faster than the earlier omicron on March 23. It has more than doubled in the U.S. over two weeks. In most European regions, Covid cases (mostly from BA.2 variant) are rising again after dropping from their winter omicron peaks.

b. Although the total number of people who have been vaccinated or have been infected at some point in their lives with COVID is increasing, we do not know if this immunity will protect against new variants.  

c. People are still getting COVID, hospitals are still seeing COVID patients. 

d. Individuals who are immunocompromised or ineligible for the vaccine are around us and at a high risk of getting infected. 

2. A recent study shows that complete COVID-19 vaccination with booster shots is 90% effective in protecting against COVID-19 related hospitalization and 82% effective at preventing emergency department and urgent care visits.

It is possible to return to stricter COVID-19 measures such as tighter mask guidelines very soon if community infection continues to rise.

Scientists are still learning the long-term effect and complications from COVID-19, especially among those who have recovered.