Health experts say the covid situation this summer won't be endemic, yet

What will COVID look like this summer? Health experts say the virus won't be endemic, yet. The past two summers saw increased cases, hospitalizations and death, but health experts say this summer may be different. YahooNews

The past two pandemic summers saw a spike in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and death, but this season may be different.

While health experts expect cases to rise, they don't think there will be a wave as devastating as the previous two summers or the recent omicron surge.

Unlike the previous summers, most of the U.S. population now has some immunity against the coronavirus from vaccines, boosters and previous infections. People also have access to antivirals that can prevent hospitalizations in the unvaccinated.

Research however shows that immunity wanes and new variants could evade what protection remains.

“I know we all want to be done with COVID, but I don’t think it’s done with us,” said Dr. Jessica Justman, associate professor of medicine in epidemiology and senior technical director of ICAP at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.

Coronavirus trends in the spring give experts clues about what to expect this summer. Cases plummeted after the omicron surge in the winter, then plateaued and began to rise again in the spring. ...