If you’re an optimist, then every piece of good news about vaccine approvals and shots in arms has put the end of the pandemic in sight. If you’re a pessimist, then all the new variants with names sounding like computer-generated passwords signal the apocalypse. Will hope win, or will dread?

On the latest episode of The Dose podcast, Eric Schneider, M.D., talks about the high-stakes race between the quick-spreading variants of COVID-19 and the effective vaccines that more Americans receive each day.

Schneider brings us up to speed on the state of the pandemic and the challenges ahead. Drawing on his expertise in public health, he explains how we can “break the back of the virus” and ultimately win the race.

Share your stories of pandemic optimism or pessimism—send an email to [email protected].