In May 2023, the CDC ended the public health emergency status linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. They did this because “as a nation, we now find ourselves at a different point in the pandemic – with more tools and resources than ever before to better protect ourselves and our communities.” But that does not mean COVID-19 is no longer a threat. Thousands of people still catch COVID, and thousands die from it on a weekly basis. There are many dangerous diseases, like HIV and malaria, that do not have an emergency health declaration from the CDC. Annual vaccination is still an important tool in addressing COVID. At home tests are another important tool in combating COVID-19, as is the antiviral medication Paxlovid. It is important to remember that even if you are young and healthy, you can still get severely sick from COVID, and that you can still risk developing “Long COVID” after catching the disease. If you recently had COVID-19, you may delay getting vaccinated for 3 months. Getting vaccinated is a safer, more reliable way to build protection than getting sick with COVID. People need to get their annual updated vaccines, as soon as they come out, regardless of their risk level.