The pandemic, health inequities, and an ‘opportunity for change’ Experts across the University weigh in on which lessons the pandemic drove home and what immediate measures are needed to prevent future loss. As of this writing, more than 54% of Americans have received one dose of the vaccine, while almost 47% are fully vaccinated. Yet as the pandemic eases, the inequities it created persist. With states dropping mask mandates, businesses opening up, and the U.S. vaccination rate approaching 50%, the “hot vax summer” is shaping up as planned, for some. But even as case rates slow and restrictions ease, there is no official end date for a pandemic that debilitated global economies and killed more than three million people worldwide. Meanwhile, many scientists believe that the spillover effect of wildlife disease transmission to humans means that the next pandemic is simply a matter of when, not if.