But pulling back safeguards too quickly, Murthy warns, risks more avoidable suffering, especially for people with weakened immune systems or other vulnerabilities.
“We may see waves of old or new variants, but if we have these tools, if we’re using them well, particularly our vaccines and boosters, we can protect the vast majority of people from hospitalizations and deaths.”“The pandemic is not over today. We are still seeing record numbers of hospitalizations, deaths, and cases in this country.
“We also have to have a clear plan for protecting those who are more vulnerable. And we know that there are people in our community, particularly those who are immunocompromised, who may continue to be at higher risk.”“I come at this issue of youth mental health, not just as a surgeon general or as a doctor, but first and foremost as a parent.
“When I was in high school, we had an uncle who lived close by to us, who was struggling with depression and we didn’t know it. We found that he had taken his life and I still remember just how that shook me.