Opinion Today: We’ve had two years of Covid. Where do we go from here?

Writers reflect on our lingering questions. [View in browser](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P4QnAWh0dHBzOi8vbWVzc2FnaW5nLWN1c3RvbS1uZXdzbGV0dGVycy5ueXRpbWVzLmNvbS90ZW1wbGF0ZS9vYWt2Mj9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDMwOCZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01NTE0NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnByb2R1Y3RDb2RlPVRZJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04NDkyNiZ0ZT0xJnVyaT1ueXQlM0ElMkYlMkZuZXdzbGV0dGVyJTJGZWEwYWZjYTItZDA2NC01ZGFhLTlmZGQtZmM4YTBjMTA3NmQ5JnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYh39UydiM6UJilIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA)|[nytimes.com](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0SvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMzA4Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTU1MTQ0Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTg0OTI2JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiHf1TJ2IzpQmKUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~)[Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-ad-marquee) ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYyMTM5JmxpPVRZJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1UWV8yMDIyMDMwOFcDbnl0QgpiHf1TJ2IzpQmKUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ [Read more from Opinion](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0S-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vc2VjdGlvbi9vcGluaW9uP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMzA4Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTU1MTQ0Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTg0OTI2JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiHf1TJ2IzpQmKUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) March 8, 2022 Erin Clark for The Boston Globe, via Getty Images [Author Headshot] By Alexandra Sifferlin Senior Staff Editor, Opinion This week, Times Opinion is marking two years since the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a pandemic. There’s been so much devastation; more than 950,000 people have died of the coronavirus in the United States alone. But the virus has also been met with one of the greatest scientific efforts in modern history: the remarkably fast development of highly effective vaccines. Our individual experiences with the pandemic have varied widely depending on our age, health status, economic class and where we live. How can we make sense of all that’s happened — even as the pandemic continues? Daniela Lamas, an intensive care unit doctor and contributing Opinion writer, is used to navigating situations that feel inexplicable. Entering year three of the pandemic, she decided to take on one of the remaining mysteries of the coronavirus that’s gained widespread public interest: Why do some people not get Covid? “As an intensive care unit doctor, I often find myself thinking about the apparent randomness of infectious disease,” she [writes in a guest essay](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0TdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMy8wOC9vcGluaW9uL3Blb3BsZS1uZXZlci1nZXQtY292aWQuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDMwOCZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01NTE0NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04NDkyNiZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYh39UydiM6UJilIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA). “Standing at the bedside in the coronavirus intensive care unit during the first wave, I wondered why young men without identifiable risk factors had become critically ill while their spouses and children were able to manage their symptoms at home.” [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-0) ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0RsaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NTk3ODUmbGk9VFkmbT1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkNyZwPVRZXzIwMjIwMzA4VwNueXRCCmId_VMnYjOlCYpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~ In her essay, Lamas digs into the latest science, including a study of couples in which only one partner got sick as well as research into why some centenarians, who were at the highest risk for severe outcomes, survived unscathed. She also returns to one of her own early pandemic patients, a young woman who nearly died of Covid-19 despite having been otherwise healthy. This week we will publish other essays and conversations that attempt to make sense of what’s transpired. One is about why people’s memories of the pandemic will fade and why some forgetting is healthy. Other articles will explore what went wrong and how institutions can rebuild trust. Some of my Opinion colleagues will be [gathering on Instagram](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0TAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5zdGFncmFtLmNvbS9ueXRvcGluaW9uL2xpdmU_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAzMDgmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTUxNDQmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODQ5MjYmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmId_VMnYjOlCYpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) on Thursday, March 10, at 1 p.m. E.T. to discuss parenting during the pandemic, [and on Twitter](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0TBaHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9pL3NwYWNlcy8xWXBKa1pxWXFBTkdqP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMzA4Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTU1MTQ0Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTg0OTI2JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiHf1TJ2IzpQmKUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) on Friday, March 11, at 10 a.m. E.T. to discuss what we’ve learned from the past two years of pandemic life. We’ll continue to explore our pandemic experiences — and what the future might hold — on a rolling basis this week, so please check back. We hope you’ll take some time to read and reflect with us. [[Article Image] La Tigre](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0TdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMy8wOC9vcGluaW9uL3Blb3BsZS1uZXZlci1nZXQtY292aWQuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDMwOCZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01NTE0NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04NDkyNiZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYh39UydiM6UJilIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [Guest Essay Why Do Some People Never Get Covid? Two years into the pandemic, a Covid mystery remains. By Daniela J. Lamas](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0TdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMy8wOC9vcGluaW9uL3Blb3BsZS1uZXZlci1nZXQtY292aWQuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDMwOCZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01NTE0NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04NDkyNiZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYh39UydiM6UJilIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-1) ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MjAxODEyJmxpPVRZJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1UWV8yMDIyMDMwOFcDbnl0QgpiHf1TJ2IzpQmKUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ Here’s what we’re focusing on today: Editors’ Picks [Paul Krugman Why China Can’t Bail Out Putin’s Economy No, the Chinese can’t protect Russia from sanctions. By Paul Krugman](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0TlaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMy8wNy9vcGluaW9uL2NoaW5hLXJ1c3NpYS1zYW5jdGlvbnMtZWNvbm9teS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMzA4Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTU1MTQ0Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTg0OTI2JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiHf1TJ2IzpQmKUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0TlaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMy8wNy9vcGluaW9uL2NoaW5hLXJ1c3NpYS1zYW5jdGlvbnMtZWNvbm9teS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMzA4Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTU1MTQ0Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTg0OTI2JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiHf1TJ2IzpQmKUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) On the News [Guest Essay I Left Ukraine 20 Years Ago. But It Never Left Me. Departure, however final it seems, is not forever. By Zanna Sloniowska](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0TeaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMy8wOC9vcGluaW9uL3VrcmFpbmUtcG9sYW5kLXJlZnVnZWVzLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAzMDgmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTUxNDQmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODQ5MjYmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmId_VMnYjOlCYpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0TeaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMy8wOC9vcGluaW9uL3VrcmFpbmUtcG9sYW5kLXJlZnVnZWVzLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAzMDgmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTUxNDQmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODQ5MjYmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmId_VMnYjOlCYpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Guest Essay We Should Welcome Ukrainian Refugees. And Russians, Too. Opening our doors would ease the suffering caused by Vladimir Putin’s invasion and strengthen our position against him. By Ilya Somin](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0TkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMy8wOC9vcGluaW9uL3VrcmFpbmUtcHV0aW4tcnVzc2lhLXJlZnVnZWVzLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAzMDgmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTUxNDQmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODQ5MjYmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmId_VMnYjOlCYpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0TkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMy8wOC9vcGluaW9uL3VrcmFpbmUtcHV0aW4tcnVzc2lhLXJlZnVnZWVzLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAzMDgmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTUxNDQmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODQ5MjYmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmId_VMnYjOlCYpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) Ideas [Guest Essay Too Many Americans Don’t Understand What Happens in Their Schools Why was the pandemic so disruptive to education? 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By Maia Szalavitz](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0ThaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMy8wNy9vcGluaW9uL29waW9pZC1jcmlzaXMtcGFpbi12aWN0aW1zLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAzMDgmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTUxNDQmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODQ5MjYmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmId_VMnYjOlCYpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0ThaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMy8wNy9vcGluaW9uL29waW9pZC1jcmlzaXMtcGFpbi12aWN0aW1zLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAzMDgmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTUxNDQmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODQ5MjYmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmId_VMnYjOlCYpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Guest Essay How to Keep the Rising Tide of Fake News From Drowning Our Democracy It won’t be easy, but our democracy depends on it. By Richard L. Hasen](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0TnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMy8wNy9vcGluaW9uL2NoZWFwLXNwZWVjaC1mYWtlLW5ld3MtZGVtb2NyYWN5Lmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAzMDgmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTUxNDQmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODQ5MjYmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmId_VMnYjOlCYpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0TnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMy8wNy9vcGluaW9uL2NoZWFwLXNwZWVjaC1mYWtlLW5ld3MtZGVtb2NyYWN5Lmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAzMDgmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTUxNDQmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODQ5MjYmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmId_VMnYjOlCYpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-2) ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRkCdj9P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NzI2NTM3JmxpPVRZJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1UWV8yMDIyMDMwOFcDbnl0QgpiHf1TJ2IzpQmKUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ Opinion Audio [What War is Putin Really Fighting? Fiona Hill on the Russian president’s motivations, the West’s response and how the conflict could play out. 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