The latest For some Americans, the pandemic as they knew it is already over. The masks have come off, physical distancing is no longer a concern. For others watching loved ones fight for breath in jam-packed emergency rooms, the crisis has never been more real or more personal. These dueling realities are defining the latest phase of the pandemic in America. Cases and hospitalizations are falling nationwide after reaching record heights this month during the omicron surge. But the daily death toll is as high as last winter, before vaccines were widely available. My colleague Ariana Eunjung Cha has a dispatch from Texas on the country's "split-screen pandemic." Despite these divisions, many Americans appear to be united in their view of the pandemic endgame. A new poll finds that 83 percent of Americans say they'll think the pandemic is over when the virus evolves into a less severe form — not a constant threat but an occasional nuisance akin to the seasonal flu. It's an approach increasingly supported by public health experts, some of whom are advocating for a "new normal" in which the country seeks to manage the virus rather than eradicate it. A government watchdog warned Thursday that the Department of Health and Human Services is at "high risk" of mismanaging the next public health crisis. Investigators from the Government Accountability Office said in its report that the agency had repeatedly ignored recommendations to improve its pandemic response and found "persistent deficiencies" in responses to previous emergencies dating back 15 years. Left unaddressed, these problems "will continue to hamper the nation's ability to be prepared for, and effectively respond to, future threats," the watchdog wrote. The Biden administration's campaign to cover at-home coronavirus tests left out many people in a highly vulnerable group: Medicare recipients. Private insurers are required to pay for at-home tests under the White House's plan. But most people with Medicare can't buy tests from a pharmacy or order them online and be reimbursed for the cost. Officials say the problem stems from restrictions in the nation's byzantine Medicare law and that they're looking for a workaround. But that's no comfort to patients like Astrid Homan, in Imperial, Mo., who has multiple health conditions and lives on a fixed income. "I'm not a nervous Nellie," she told The Washington Post, "but I need to take every precaution I can." With the pandemic entering its third year, Anthony S. Fauci remains the face of the U.S. response. My colleagues Dan Zak and Roxanne Roberts spoke with Fauci at length about how he handles the attacks directed at him on a daily basis and the constant stream of misinformation hobbling the pandemic response. News about the U.S. economy is a mixed bag of good and bad. The economy roared back to life last year, growing at its fastest pace in decades. But the outlook is complicated by soaring inflation, swings in the financial markets and a slowdown in consumer spending, my colleague Abha Bhattarai reports. People are calling it "Partygate" now — the saga surrounding British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the string of parties that took place at 10 Downing Street during the height of U.K. lockdowns. Sue Gray, once a little-known British public servant, is investigating whether the revelry violated the country's coronavirus restrictions. Here's what to know about her. Other important news Sarah Palin, who said she's unvaccinated and recently tested positive for the coronavirus, dined out in New York City, flouting local health measures. These Britons were fined for breaking lockdown rules. They want Johnson to be punished, too. A record number of Americans signed up for health coverage this year in the Affordable Care Act insurance marketplace as the pandemic amplified health concerns. A couple recovering from covid couldn't smell the smoke when their house caught fire. Their toddler saved the family. Thinking of remotely working for good? Here are some tips on what to consider first. | 
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