Pandemic's future: What we can expect

After enduring more than 4 million confirmed cases and over 275,000 deaths worldwide, public health experts and government officials have begun to explore what we should expect from COVID-19 in the coming months and years. STAT's Sharon Begley shares three potential scenarios put forward by epidemiologists. Some are more painful than others.

• Option 1: The worst is almost past. This is the best-case scenario, where this spring's spike in cases will be followed by a series of smaller, partially seasonal outbreaks.
• Option 2: One big wave to come. After a summer lull, COVID-19 could return with a vengeance come fall, putting severe stress on the health system. Those who survive will likely have developed immunity, reducing the scale of future outbreaks.
• Option 3: The hits keep coming. This is the least ideal scenario, where we have one medium sized outbreak after another. Outbreaks aren't big enough to give large parts of the population immunity, paving the way for yet another outbreak.