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Many of us have put Covid largely out of our minds. But one of the most intriguing and important areas of study is exactly what Covid does to the mind. The answer to that question is still far from clear. And yet it affects how we treat Covid as well as how we manage future pandemics and viruses. (Therese Raphael, 3/10)

In a report released Monday and titled “Getting to and Sustaining the Next Normal: A Roadmap for Living with Covid,” the experts caution that the United States is still in the grip of the pandemic. With 330 million people, they say the U.S. transition to the “next normal” will be when direct mortality from major respiratory illnesses is 165 deaths per day and 1,150 per week; the death toll from covid-19 going into this month was 10 times higher. And they caution that a new, concerning variant could emerge. At the same time, they suggest that the death toll will decline sharply from the disaster of the past two years, thanks to vaccine and natural immunity. (3/10)

Since the start of the pandemic, medical and public health professionals have highlighted the need to protect the immunocompromised. People who are pregnant, those who have had organ transplants, chemotherapy, immunosuppressive medications and those with chronic health conditions such as diabetes are at great risk of severe complications or death following COVID-19 infection. Many of these people are also unable to mount sufficient antibodies to the vaccine, leaving them at extreme risk. New CDC guidance allows the majority of the population to enjoy pre-pandemic privileges, such as going mask-free in public spaces, while providing disclaimers that vulnerable people must still take precautions. (Marney A. White, 3/10)

We cannot step into the same river twice, the Greek philosopher Heraclitus is said to have observed. We’ve changed, the river has changed. That’s very true, but it doesn’t mean we can’t learn from seeing what other course the river could have flowed. As the pandemic enters its third year, we must consider those moments when the river branched, and nations made choices that affected thousands, millions, of lives. (Zeynep Tufecki, 3/11)

We are now in Covid limbo. Cases are down and still falling, yet scientists aren’t willing to declare the pandemic over — or, conversely, to predict when the next wave might come. But perhaps it’s a good thing that public health officials are displaying a little less confidence. Researchers still don’t really know why pandemic waves rise or fall, so it would be disingenuous to pretend otherwise. And less posturing by public health officials would be a welcome change. (Faye Flam, 3/10)

Over the last two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has become one of the defining moments of our generation, causing more than 950,000 deaths in the U.S. and disrupting every corner of American life. As a family medicine physician, I am especially aware of how COVID-19 upended health care, not only overrunning hospital ICUs but also damaging trust in the medical community. (Sabina Wong, 3/10)