Almost four years have passed since COVID-19 struck. In America, the pandemic killed well over 1 million people and left millions more with lingering health problems. Much of normal life came to a halt, partly because of official lockdowns but largely because fear of infection kept people home.

The big question in the years that followed was whether the United States would ever fully recover from that shock. In 2023, we got the answer: yes. The economy and society have, in fact, healed remarkably well. The big remaining question is when, if ever, the public will be ready to accept the good news.