Thursday marked one year since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. 

Since then, life in the United States has drastically changed. From remote work and school schedules to new ways to attend events and church services, COVID-19 has altered how we live. And some of the changes could go on long after the virus is gone.

Since the first case in January 2020, the U.S. has suffered a devastating loss – nearly 530,000 deaths, along with 29 million cases. And now virus variants are creeping across the nation, a USA TODAY analysis of CDC data shows.

There are signs of both hope. The U.S. is once again reporting less than one COVID-19 death per minute, a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. The U.S. also reported fewer than 400,000 new coronavirus cases in the week ending Wednesday, a level not seen since mid-October. Vaccinations are picking up speed, too, and states are easing eligibility requirements to get them.