Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Five Years After COVID-19 Declared a Pandemic, Its Impact Still Reverberates

While the global health emergency has officially ended, the pandemic's profound societal, personal, and systemic effects continue to shape lives worldwide.

Image
Irvine resident Felicia Wong, husband Jason and sons Alex, now 12, and Brian, now 9, found a passion for the outdoors during the pandemic. (Photo courtesy of Felicia Wong/everydayadventurefam.com)
Patty Trejo holds a blanket with a photo of her husband and son in her in Anaheim, CA, home on Thursday, March 13, 2025. Trejo lost her father and husband to COVID-19 and nearly lost a son to the virus. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Overview

  • The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 pandemic over in May 2023, but the virus continues to affect vulnerable populations and those with long-term health conditions like long COVID.
  • The pandemic caused over 1.2 million deaths in the United States and 7 million globally, leaving lasting personal and collective scars on families, healthcare workers, and communities.
  • Significant societal shifts, such as the normalization of remote work, telehealth, and outdoor recreation, have persisted, transforming how people live, work, and interact.
  • Healthcare workers, chaplains, and families recount the emotional toll of the crisis, with many experiencing post-traumatic stress and ongoing grief from the loss of loved ones and colleagues.
  • Long COVID remains a major public health challenge, with millions still suffering from debilitating symptoms, while research and government support for treatments face significant hurdles.