The average U.S. life expectancy has hit a new high, rebounding to numbers similar to those before the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Point phone camera hereLeading causes of deathThe U.S. recorded 18,000 fewer COVID deaths in 2024 than in 2023, the report said. COVID and vaccinesThe drop in COVID-19 deaths between 2023 and 2024 is unsurprising, as that was the period when public health officials declared the pandemic over and said COVID was now endemic. The CDC announced in October that it no longer universally recommends COVID-19 vaccines for everyone. What sort of effect that may have on the number of COVID cases and deaths remains to be seen.