| Most people talk about the coronavirus pandemic in terms of waves, thanks in part to the way the infection has been surging and then ebbing in near perfect symmetry for almost two years. While different places get hit at different times, the pattern keeps repeating—like waves on the ocean.
I don't like it. Here's why: There's no obvious end. If you've ever slept next to the ocean, you know that surf pounds relentlessly. That's a vision I don't need right now. I prefer the rollercoaster analogy. It allows for more nuance as well. Not only will it go up and down, it can throw you for a loop. Nerves fire as you climb, not knowing exactly what's ahead, and then a rush of release after you crest the peak. There are unexpected twists. Most importantly, at some point, it's over. The ride comes to an stop. My editors asked me to look into what's next for the world as we enter the final quarter of the second year of the pandemic. It was a broad remit: talk to medical historians and infectious-disease experts, people who have studied previous outbreaks and virologists who are tracking the intricacies of this specific pathogen. And the news was not good.  Commuters on the London underground on Aug. 25. Photographer: SOPA Images/LightRocket Yes, it's likely that case counts and infections will plunge in the coming days and weeks, as the world comes off the latest surge of disease. But the respite probably won't last. Thanks to the increased virulence of the delta variant, it's likely to take off again later in the Northern Hemisphere's autumn and winter. Further mutations that could allow the virus to escape the protection afforded by vaccination would be a doomsday scenario—a dreaded but so far unfounded event. Infections will continue until most of the world has been touched by the virus, either through infection or inoculation. While progress has been made with immunizations, hundreds of millions of people remain vulnerable—what scientists call immunologically naïve—to the virus. What happens to them will determine the future trajectory of the pandemic. What's clear is this ride is still underway. The end isn't yet known. And the experts don't believe we will be pulling into the station in the weeks to come. So check your seatbelts.—Michelle Cortez | 
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