Covid-19 hospitalizations drop, but January has been the deadliest month of the pandemic. Here’s what to expect next

APPLE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 27: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) A clinician cares for a patient in a COVID-19 isolation area at Providence St. Mary Medical Center on January 27, 2021 in Apple Valley, California. The hospital was treating over 170 COVID-19 patients at the peak of the surge but has seen a recent decrease and is currently caring for 87 confirmed or suspected coronavirus patients. California has eased lockdown orders amid fears of a new coronavirus variant. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)