BUFFALO, N.Y. — It's been a long two years, but with COVID cases and hospitalizations going down, it seems like a return to normalcy, as we once knew it, is slowly returning - and just in time for the NCAA Basketball Tournament and St. Patrick's Day.
Hotels are booked, restaurants are packed, and the streets of Western New York are buzzing again.
2 On Your Side was out and about on Thursday to hear people's thoughts on what it feels like to finally be able to celebrate things again as a community.
Adrianna Snellings is from Buffalo and stopped by The Banshee Irish Pub with her friends to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Snellings tells Liz Lewin, "It feels amazing to be free after so long being cooped up."
Sean Siler, also from Buffalo agreed. "I stuck it out through COVID and you know what, we're back baby. We're back, the City of Buffalo is back, and the Bills are back!"
Tons of fans are also in town cheering on their favorite college basketball teams.
Patrick Kaler, president and CEO of Visit Buffalo Niagara, spent Thursday cruising the streets of Buffalo with his team in their mobile welcoming unit.
"It's been great to see all of the people that have come to Buffalo for not only the NCAA Tournament, but for St. Patrick's Day and the three hockey tournaments that we have going on this weekend. So it's a real shot in the tourism arm for our community," Kaler says.
Especially since tourism took such a hit during the height of the pandemic.
"You know, tourism was the hardest hit through the pandemic. And we're slowly but surely coming back, just as we always knew we would," Kaler explans.
But the question is, as spring approaches and more parades, festivals and activities resume - is the worst of COVID behind us?
Infectious Disease expert Dr. Thomas Russo, Chief of Infectious Disease at the University at Buffalo, says "There's no doubt that we're heading in a great direction cases of down hospitalizations are down. But there's still people out there that are significant risk for developing severe disease and they continue to need to be careful. And those groups are primarily the unvaccinated and those higher risk groups that are eligible, but yet to be boosted."
But with restrictions more or less lifted at this point, and COVID fatigue high, it's clear this weekend has been a long-time coming.
The hope, Dr. Russo says, is that people continues to remain vigilant and for their own safety and that of others.