Mitigation hasn’t failed; social distancing and other measures have slowed the spread. But the halt hasn’t brought the number of new cases and deaths down as much as expected or stopped the epidemic from expanding.

Officials face intense pressure to reopen, and the reality is stark: Continuing spread at something near current levels may become the cruel “new normal.” Hospitals and public-health systems will have to contend with persistent disease and death.

Higher rates of spread may be limited to some areas; a majority of states have more than 250 new cases of Covid-19 every day. But as states begin to open up their economies and Americans return to traveling, the disease will continue to expand. We need to prepare to deal with such a grim future, which will require a persistent posture of prevention and treatment.