Here’s how to reconcile the seeming contradictions of where we are: The risk to individuals is low, while the risk to society is high. Policy solutions that demand substantial individual sacrifice will not work; instead, we need to acknowledge the public’s very real weariness and come up with practical strategies that keep society functioning.

Research is increasingly pointing to omicron causing less severe disease compared with previous variants. In addition, vaccination — especially with a booster — appears highly protective against hospitalization and death. The tsunami of viral transmission means that many vaccinated people will have breakthrough infections, but the vast majority will have symptoms somewhere between a mild cold and the flu.

As a result, it’s unreasonable to ask vaccinated people to refrain from pre-pandemic activities. After all, the individual risk to them is low, and there is a steep price to keeping students out of school, shuttering restaurants and retail shops, and stopping travel and commerce.