Even as society begins to "move on," COVID is still killing hundreds of Americans a day, and inflicting great suffering on long haulers. Though death tolls have fallen from their grim peaks, many are still not fully vaccinated or not vaccinated at all, and the issue of underlying health conditions will continue. COVID shouldn't be erased from our awareness even if things are "better" for many Americans.
Many Americans are understandably ready to roll the credits on the COVID pandemic and live with the virus. Even if there are continued arguments over whether the pandemic is "technically" over or not, tired Americans are tuning out public health messaging and many have turned the page. Data shows a willingness of Americans to calculate their individual risk and make their own decisions.