Pandemic Amnesty

Pandemic Amnesty is a catchphrase and slang term taken from an essay published in The Atlantic by Emily Oster in late October 2022, which argued that American society needs to forgive extreme actions taken by people, the government and public health experts at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic . Over the following days into early November, the article and concept behind the term "pandemic amnesty" spurned a viral debate online, with many anti-vaccination and conservative voices, among others, criticizing and memeing Oster's phrase. Several mainstream media outlets also covered the article and began to report on the backlash that ensued shortly after.