Three years after President Biden hoped July 4, 2021, would mark the country’s independence from covid, the coronavirus is still here as new variants drive yet another summer uptick.
The country is indeed free from the waves of mass death that once overwhelmed hospitals and morgues, as well as policies restricting how Americans had fun and went to school and work.
But just as the American Revolution didn’t fully eradicate the British threat (see: the War of 1812), the coronavirus remains a public health issue, inflicting milder but disruptive illness on most people and posing a greater danger to the medically vulnerable.
If you’re hearing about more people testing positive or getting sick, it’s no surprise, as data shows another wave forming, especially in the West. Here’s what to know about the latest with the coronavirus:
People are no longer advised to isolate for five days after testing positive. Here are the CDC’s new guidelines for covid this summer. (Video: Drea Cornejo/The Washington Post)