We asked, you answered: How do you feel about the end of the COVID-19 'emergency'
The COVID-19 pandemic state of emergency is over, lifted by both the World Health Organization and the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Yet we find ourselves in an odd moment: The coronavirus is both an ever present danger and, in some sense, old news. We asked readers what was on their minds at this inflection point in the world's pandemic response. They shared reflections that run the gamut – from relief to anxiety to disappointment – but also reveal some clear themes, three years into the pandemic.
Lingering fear of long COVID
"Long COVID," the stubborn, persistent symptoms that last well after a SARS-CoV-2 infection, remains one of the least understood challenges of the post-emergency era. Between 10-20% of COVID-19 patients experience these long-term problems, depending on how researchers define the condition. A but just how long and widespread a problem post-COVID illness will be has plenty of people concerned.
