There is definitely pressure from the corporate world for the U.S. to be "normal". They don't want to close anything down. They don't want to mandate masks for customers (employees are OK). When I go to a store, maybe 1 out of 10 are wearing a mask. Schools have had to go virtual because so many staff members have COVID (this, with vaccinations and boosters). Half of our teaching staff is out sick, and we have no idea how many students are. My classroom is more a a petrie dish than a classroom.