The New Normal, a Virtual Event on Life and Love After Omicron

It’s a word many have been longing for since around March 2020: normalcy.

And it’s being used much more often now.

While the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is more contagious than previous ones, the share of severe cases has been lower, largely thanks to vaccinations, among other factors. New cases have been declining in a growing list of places. Some governors say Americans will need to learn how to live with the virus.

But what would that mean? And when would it be? Is this moment different from previous glimmers of hope?

Hear the latest from two public health researchers and physicians, Dr. Monica Gandhi and Dr. Robert Wachter of the University California at San Francisco. Gandhi and Wachter have done extensive work communicating the risk of Covid-19 to the public, particularly on Twitter, but they sometimes differ: Gandhi tends to embrace a quicker return to normal and Wachter is more cautious. They’ll take your questions live.

Does a possible new state of the world mean renewed levels of social interaction, relationships and even love? Daniel Jones and Miya Lee, Modern Love editors, and Anna Martin, Modern Love podcast host, will join us to explore optimism through our readers’ own Tiny Love Stories: short, true tales of love. And they want to hear from you.

Tell us a true, unpublished love story from your own life, in under 100 words, and we may include it in the event, where it will be read by top actors. We’re especially interested in stories of hope, return or renewal. You can submit your Tiny Love Story in the R.S.V.P. form above.