--- description: With the end of the federal mask mandate and many people ready to return to "normal," vulnerable people are having to make even more difficult decisions to protect themselves from COVID-19. title: Why It's Not Time to Celebrate the End of COVID-19 image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt170823cc99979798/698a313d09208f51f5419178/IsCovidOverHeader.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Ideas](/section/ideas/) ## Ideas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [COVID-19](/tag/covid-19/) ## COVID-19 Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Many Americans Are Celebrating the End of COVID-19\. Here's What It Feels Like When You're Not ## Video: The Difference Between a Covid Spike and a Surge [Watch (HLS stream): The Difference Between a Covid Spike and a Surge](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/j83pb4lv.m3u8) (2:25)  _Published 2022-04-05. With the end of the federal mask mandate and many people ready to return to "normal," vulnerable people are having to make even more difficult decisions to protect themselves from COVID-19._ by [Aubrey Hirsch](/author/aubrey-hirsch/) ## Aubrey Hirsch Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Apr 26, 2022 12:56 PM CUT  Illustration by Aubrey Hirsch for TIME by [Aubrey Hirsch](/author/aubrey-hirsch/) ## Aubrey Hirsch Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Apr 26, 2022 12:56 PM CUT People across the United States are ditching their masks, resuming their lives, and celebrating the end of COVID-19\. But for millions of Americans, [the pandemic is far from over](https://time.com/6165812/covid-case-count-united-states/ "undefined"). An estimated 40% of U.S. adults have at least two conditions that put them at increased risk for severe COVID-19, and [parents of young children are still waiting for a vaccine](https://time.com/6170315/omicron-covid-19-risks-kids-under-5/ "undefined"). Now that so many people are [moving on from the pandemic](https://time.com/6147080/moving-on-from-covid-19/ "undefined"), these vulnerable populations face even bigger challenges. With vaccines and masks no longer required in most public spaces, including [public transportation and airplanes](https://time.com/6168383/which-airlines-require-masks/ "undefined"), they will have to make difficult sacrifices to protect their health. And others will have no choice but to put themselves at risk.          --- ### More from TIME --- ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6170489/covid-19-pandemic-not-over-feelings/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6170489/covid-19-pandemic-not-over-feelings/"},"headline":"Many Americans Are Celebrating the End of COVID-19. 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