COVID-19 live updates

The U.S. takes on a hopeful Covid outlook, but slowing vaccinations raise a note of caution. … For the moment, though, epidemiologists are uncharacteristically optimistic. “We’re in a really good spell and we can act accordingly,” said Andrew Noymer, an [associate professor and] epidemiologist at the University of California, Irvine, who said it made sense to loosen restrictions now, when the risk is lower than it might be this winter.