John Minchillo / AP Here's one (more) sign the COVID-19 pandemic is on the decline in the U.S. NPR's latest survey of state health departments with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security finds many are winding down the contact tracing programs they scrambled to grow last year. More than half of the 36 health departments that responded to the survey in late May, had fewer tracers than in December, and the vast majority aren't planning to hire more. In a way, that makes sense. With coronavirus infections tapering off in most parts of the country, public health experts say a smaller workforce may be able to keep on top of current outbreaks.