<em>The Atlantic</em> Daily: COVID Will Surprise Us Again

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Imagine it: The sun is warm, the flowers are in bloom, and no one is talking about the coronavirus. After a bitter January, the country’s Omicron surge is receding, and—although COVID case rates are still much higher than they were last winter—it feels as if a pandemic lull is just around the corner.

Unfortunately, we’ve learned enough to know that we’re stuck with this virus for a while longer, and that it could catch us off guard at any moment.

The rest of the news in three sentences:

(1) The U.S. will send 3,000 troops to Europe to bolster allies’ defenses amid fears that Russia will invade Ukraine.

(2) “Havana syndrome” could be caused by “pulsed electromagnetic energy,” a panel of experts found.

(3) CNN President Jeff Zucker resigned, saying he had failed to disclose a romantic relationship with a colleague.

Today’s Atlantic-approved activity:

Fight off the winter blues with Bravo’s Summer House, a low-stakes reality show set in the Hamptons. Kaitlyn Tiffany and Lizzie Plaugic attempt to explain the show’s appeal in their newsletter, Famous People.

A break from the news:

This is your brain on heartbreak.

Every weekday evening, our editors guide you through the biggest stories of the day, help you discover new ideas, and surprise you with moments of delight. Subscribe to get this delivered to your inbox.