 The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major global health crisis, with the World Health Organization, WHO, declaring the emergency officially over three and a half years ago. Since then, there have been many advances in genetic and genomic research on the virus, which has allowed us to better understand how it spreads and how it can be treated. Additionally, the virus itself is still present and could reappear in unexpected places, so continued vigilance and research are necessary. Finally, the lessons learned from this pandemic must be applied to prevent future pandemics and other global health crises. This article was authored by Mikayla Biancalella, Vito Luigi Colona, Lucio Luzato, and others.