Source: Vejon Health

COVID Reality Check: Dr. Chetty on What We’re Seeing Now

18 April 2026

At the beginning of 2026, Dr. Shankara Chetty and I discussed what we believed the year would bring—more immune dysregulation, rising chronic illness, subtle reinfections, and a growing disconnect between what patients feel and what medicine is willing to acknowledge.

Now, months later, we return to ask the most important question: were we right? In this follow-up discussion, we look at what has changed, what patterns are becoming clearer, and whether the pandemic trajectory is unfolding as expected. Using both frontline clinical experience and broader population-level dashboard data, we explore what is happening beneath the surface—why more people feel unwell despite “normal” tests, why excess mortality and chronic disease patterns continue to rise, and what this means for the months ahead. This is not a discussion about fear, but about preparation. If we are to understand what comes next, we must first be honest about what is happening now.