The answer is much less about restrictions, which are almost nonexistent, and more about less access to free or low-cost treatments and far less data collection that could warn us about the next outbreak.
To borrow a line from Disney's Frozen, "for the first time in forever" every moment of 2022 was not defined by COVID.
Instead, a large chunk of the year's health headlines was devoted to the overturning of reproductive options and its impact on Wisconsin women.
But not all headlines were bad. Here are several "good news" standouts.
For the first time ever, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended all adults under 65 receive annual screenings for anxiety, even if they aren't showing symptoms.
Despite a record-low unemployment rate, Republican lawmakers want to make it harder for unemployed and low-income people to access public assistance under the guise of addressing the worker shortage.