Now Is as Good a Time as There’ll Ever Be to Leave Your Pandemic Bubble

Throughout the pandemic, the question of whether it’s safe to do fun things has been exceedingly un-fun to answer. Personally, I remember distinct periods over the past two years when the advice was Definitely not; please, no; you could’ve gone out three weeks ago, but not now; and not yet, be patient. And at some moments, such as after the murder of George Floyd and now, during the invasion of Ukraine, analyzing the risks of, say, going to a bar have seemed a bit frivolous.

Finally, though, many Americans are at—or, depending on where they live, very close to—the point where a responsible coronavirus expert will respond to this question with a deeply satisfying Yes. It may not surprise you to learn that this yes, as with most pandemic guidance, comes with some important qualifiers: Yes, but not everyone; yes, until things get bad again; . But a yes of any kind is a relief.