The government just declared the COVID pandemic officially over, but critics say no one was ever held accountable for the harm done.

• HHS set the official end date at June 29, 2026, though the emergency rules won't actually wind down until next year — a delay that makes little sense.
• The declaration admits the virus simply got milder over time, which raises doubts about whether the vaccines ever ended the pandemic at all.
• Nothing in the announcement stops the government from declaring another emergency and rushing out new vaccines for the next scary virus.
• Anger remains over people who lost jobs, missed life events, or died alone under vaccine mandates, with no promise it won't happen again.
• The FDA still recommends the shots for seniors, pregnant women, and high-risk groups, seen here as protecting drug companies more than the public.

Outlook: The shots will stay on the market and keep being pushed on older and high-risk people, and there is little sign of any official reckoning over what happened.