in the COVID-19 pandemic.
After more than three years, the COVID
public health emergency is ending today.
Now, this move is largely a financial one,
so let's get into the three things to know
about what this means for you coming up.
First, you will likely need to t
paying for your own COVID testi.
The government will no longer sd
you those free kits, and insurae
companies no longer have to cover them.
Coming up second here on this
list of what you need to know,
COVID vaccines will remain. Fre.
Unless the national supply runs,
it's expected to last through the summer.
But once that happens,
vaccines will remain free for mt
people on private and public insurance.
And third,
federal employees and contractos
will no longer be required to
be vaccinated against COVID.
Well, the pandemic has
fundamentally changed all of us.
And while the health emergency
ends today in the US.
It's important that we reflect n
everything that we've been thro.
Jess Arnold joining us live in e
studio with that part of the st.
Jess, really hard to believe tht
it's been three years and that e
reaching this in milestone toda.
Absolutely, Larry. It seems so
far out of reach in March 2020.
So let's remind all of
you how far we have come.
We're just telling people that y
need to stay in their homes except for
essential and necessary things. COVID
shutting down life as we knew
it in March 2020. Stay at home
orders requiring people not
to go anywhere to try to stop the spread.
Still, the CDC reports more tha1
million total US deaths as of this week.
About an hour after I left him,
he passed away. As time passed,
people allowed to leave their homes more.
With a caveat, if you leave hom,
you should wear a mask.
Some restaurant workers say thee
facing backlash from customers
when they try to enforce that
those challenges leading to
innovations like streeteries.
Can this be a safer opportunity
than people dining inside?
Because dining inside is scary
and virtual learning pivots A
safer option but caused learning
loss for many students.
So an eventual back to class
and a semblance of life as they
knew it cause for celebration.
It is very exciting.
Now, sometimes it can seem likee
pandemic is in the rearview mir,
but it really still is going on.
We have to remember that.
And it certainly has had lasting
changes in all of our lives. Gu,
thank you so much. So let's keee
conversation going this morning.
Text the number on your screen,
202-895-5599, and tell us. How s
the pandemic changed your life ?
Many of you have weighed in alr.
Continue to do so.
Just be sure to use that hashta.
Get up DC on social media so
that we can see your comments.
Let's get to some of your thoug.
Now. Mona says that she's.
Still cautious, she says.
I'm probably one out of
100 still wearing my mask.
Count me in on that.
Sometimes Jaronda says something similar,
saying that she still wears
a mask since she takes public
transportation every day.
She says she's a health care wo,
and the pandemic also caused her to develop.
Our relationship with God.
Steven says that the pandemic has taught
him a lot about himself and oth,
and he says 1 thing's for sure.
Life is precious.
And I think that is the enduring theme
that we get from the entire pandemic.
That we needed to spend
more time with loved ones,
That we needed to spend
more time with ourselves,
and that we needed to appreciate
just how precious life is and
that we can't take it for grant.
And it's sometimes out of our control.
Yeah, it is actually. It's alwas
out of our control. So be good e
you are. Yeah.
And I think moving forward, it',
it's hard for so many of us to o
back to what was normal for us.
This is the new normal.
We proceed with caution.
I mean, we're, we're all with y.
All the sentiments we just shar.
I think we take a piece of eache
because I still wear my mask sometimes.
My little one still wears
her mask every day to school.
And so those things, I mean.
It's a new way of life
because it's still out there.
I I got a case of COVID long afI
had had all the boosters all anI
hadn't gotten sick that whole t.
But when I got it,
you still have that feeling in e
back of your head about the mils
of people who lost their lives h
this and and and when why take that chance?
So yeah, I take those extra steps too.
And the one person said that
their relationship with God,
when I go to church now,
we no longer pass the peace
with hugs or take communion.
It's that whole thing has chang.
So even there.
Even though there are no masks.
Yeah. And So what we do the air
handshakes and air field you do.
I'm coming to your church cuz we
literally stand in the Pew and ,
say, hey, how was your week?
Keep sending in your comments.
Yeah, a moment of Levanty and
what has been a long three year.