The third pandemic winter is nowhere near as bad as the previous two, likely because most Americans have some immunity from shots and previous infections.
A recent swirl of misinformation linking the rise of new coronavirus variants to vaccination has cast a spotlight on XBB.1.5, raising concerns that it could limit booster uptake.
The disease’s decline revealed the power of public health to quash threats when politics and science align and a community mobilizes to protect its own.
Public health authorities are concerned the increase in covid patients will exacerbate the strain on hospitals already reeling from RSV and influenza cases.