May 28, 2020 / By Antonia Noori Farzan, Katie Shepherd, Jennifer Hassan, Rick Noack, Marisa Iati, John Wagner, Mark Berman, Adam Taylor, Brittany Shammas and Felicia Sonmez
Four months after the first novel coronavirus infection was confirmed in the United States, the virus has claimed more than 100,000 lives here. It has killed people in every state. It has found victims in dense cities and rural towns. Some of the victims were well-known; many were unsung.
President Trump, who had remained uncharacteristically silent on the mounting death toll, noted the “very sad milestone” with a tweet on Thursday morning: “To all of the families & friends of those who have passed, I want to extend my heartfelt sympathy & love for everything that these great people stood for & represent. God be with you!” 
The virus has killed more than 354,000 people worldwide, and some experts are now warning that it may never go away, even after a vaccine is developed. Embracing that reality is crucial to the next phase of America’s pandemic response.
“This virus is here to stay,” said Sarah Cobey, an epidemiologist and evolutionary biologist at the University of Chicago. “The question is, how do we live with it safely?”