Over two years ago, COVID-19 rapidly spread across the globe, changing the fabric of society.
Masking has become the norm.
Reports of newly-discovered variants crop up every few months.
Jessica Olah / Verywell
Many are battling COVID-induced brain fog and debilitating fatigue.
Others are struggling to find ways to cope with grief and loneliness.
Some would argue these changes may last forever.
Verywell / Jessica Olah
In a short series, Verywell looks back at the ways COVID-19 has changed our lives.
Our reporters asked the experts how the virus will continue to affect public health in 2022.
Are More Variants Coming?
Verywell / Jessica Olah
Jessica Olah / Verywell
Alpha.
The Greek alphabet almost doesn’t seem long enough to keep up with the ever-emerging COVID-19 variants.
Over the course of 2021,new variants consistently appeared with varying degrees of alarm.
Verywell Health / Jessica Olah
Is this what lies ahead for us in 2022 as well?
What we learned:The state of the pandemic is dependent on global cooperation.
Experts say vaccines need to be distributed everywhere to help minimize mutations.
Verywell Health / Jessica Olah
So, we’ll likely see a few more variants in 2022.
But it’s difficult to tell whether they will be milder than previous strains.
Will We Wear Face Masks Forever?
Verywell / Jessica Olah
At the beginning of the pandemic, masks were our primary line of defense.
As vaccinations came into the picture, mask guidelines began to loosen.
But surges seem to always bring us back to square one.
But there’s still no end in sight to masking up.
Will COVID Be the New Flu?
Eradicating COVID-19 entirely is no longer a realistic goal.
Instead, the hope is the virus can looka bit like the flualways around but much less dangerous.
SoOmicron’s emergenceis a good sign.
Still, no one knows how long until COVID-19 is considered endemic, like the flu.
What Should We Expect From Long COVID Treatment?
Still, long COVID raises more questions than answers.
What we learned:In 2021, researchers made significant advancements when it comes to understanding long COVID.
Drugs for different diseases were repurposed as treatments.
What to expect:There is still plenty of progress to be made.
Long-haulers want to see more collaboration within the medical community in understanding the condition.
The Pandemic Raised Mental Health Awareness.
Unfortunately, that’s in part because people have been struggling with isolation, addiction, and grief.
What we learned:Many people reported feeling anxious and depressed last year.
This was especially true for people living in areas hit hardest by the pandemic, and forhealthcare workers.
What to expect:Hopefully, people continue to prioritize mental well-being in the new year.
How Did COVID Change Addiction Treatment?
People are struggling to cope with the immense stress of COVID-19 and its impact.
Since the pandemic began, we’ve witnessed asharp increase in overdosesand substance abuse.
