“When experts envision the future of the coronavirus, many predict that it will become a seasonal pathogen that won’t be much more than a nuisance for most of us who have been vaccinated or previously exposed to it. But how long that process takes — and how much damage the virus inflicts in the interim — is still anyone’s guess.” Stat News: The short-term, middle-term, and long-term future of the coronavirus.

+ Making guesses about timing is all the more difficult because so many leaders are guessing their way through policy decisions. Three of Gov. Greg Abbott’s four coronavirus medical advisers say they weren’t directly consulted before he lifted mask mandate.

+ Target, Starbucks, CVS and Kroger are among the retailers — some of the largest in the nation — that will continue to require that customers in Texas wear masks inside stores. (Have I mentioned that wearing a mask is like no big deal?)