As in recent Marvel superhero movies, the film Spider-Man: No Way Home again introduces viewers to the concept of the multiverse. Very simply put, it's the concept that there is a true timeline but that alternate timelines can occur. For those who are more into epidemiology than superheroes, think of it like counterfactual thinking.1 There is the reality that occurred, and an alternate reality that would have occurred were we not exposed. I think of the multiverse more than I should when I consider 2 concepts about our present reality in peri-COVID-19 world. The first is that some of us are living in a very different world than others do, especially in America, where many of us have bunkered down again with the emergence of Omicron, while others don't appear to be aware that it exists. This phenomenon presents a challenging experience for those of us who have returned to limiting trips outside our home, or those of us who cannot escape the COVID-19 reality because we're on the front lines of public health or medicine. On the rare occasion we leave our bubble, or turn on a televised sporting event, we encounter people who are apparently living in an alternate universe with no distancing, no masking, and no concern about a deadly disease. Honestly, it can make a person question their sanity.

Despite the maddening effect of the first concept, it is a second concept that I'm more concerned about. Specifically, that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed reality for public health professionals in a way that has made it impossible to go back to "normal." For decades, public health somewhat flew under the radar. It was underfunded, underappreciated, and misunderstood but considered an essential part of civilization. However, we've observed a drastic change over the last 2 years, where we've seen the visibility of our profession greatly increase, while experiencing a loss of trust and an increase of vitriol around the country. We will never again live in a world where our intent to help others is assumed, even if our approach might be questioned. Opposition to public health interventions is not new, but the landscape has shifted considerably. I fear that we will emerge from the current pandemic to find intensified opposition to more mainstream public health challenges, such as tobacco control, physical activity and healthy eating initiatives, HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination campaigns, or clean water initiatives. The world we once operated in has been permanently altered, which will require associated changes in our approach if we are to achieve our goals.

Moving forward, it will be more important than ever to work interprofessionally as we plan and implement our work. If the pandemic response has taught us anything, it's the importance of behavioral sciences, health communication, and implementation science in pandemic response. Relatedly, community engagement will be more essential than ever as a foundation for successful public health campaigns. New investment in professional training in these areas will be necessary, as will reinvestment in personnel who possess these skills to staff health organizations at the local, state, and national levels. We need more investment in behavioral research to understand not only what people should do to protect their health but also how to encourage them to do it. Ultimately, we need to build and diversify the public health workforce for the current chronic threats we face and the emerging challenges we will inevitably face.2 There is no way back to the reality we left behind, and the future we create depends on the choices we make today.

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