We bring you up to speed on the science behind most urgent questions about the virus and the disease. We demystify the research and help you understand what it really means. I'm Tanya Lewis. I'm Josh fishman. And we're scientific Americans, senior health editors. Today we're going to take a personal look at a moderate case of COVID. If Josh's voice holds up. And we'll talk about how we decide when pandemics are really over. Not just when presidents say they are. Can you hear me okay? Do I sound too rough? Actually, you sound fairly normal. Good, that's a change for the better yesterday I sounded like I was at the bottom of a well, but without that cool echoey effect and with a lot more gurgling. Because I have COVID. I started showing symptoms about two weeks ago, and I still have them. Oh man, that sucks. I'm so sorry. Thanks. I don't want to make this episode all about me, though. I don't either, but we do talk a lot about scientific studies, and we don't often talk about what it's like to actually have COVID. I didn't believe I caught it at first. I've spent two and a half years avoiding it. I'm vaccinated and I'm boosted and so to see that positive line on a rapid antigen test made me go, wait, what? That can't be right. So I took another test, and there was that line again. Do you know how you got infected? I'm pretty sure it was on a business trip to New York City. That meant trains and subways and sitting in a big meeting with about 200 other people, most of whom didn't wear masks. I wore a mask. But I did go to an outside bar with some friends from work, and there was a nice breeze and while you can't drink beer through a mask. So I took mine off. Let's understandable. When did you know there was a problem?