I had not read a Stephen King book in ages and can say the premise was still a “hard to put down/ scary read. The added opinions on the reactions of pandemic and actions of characters because of it were no different than the myriad of reactions and conversations with old and new people encountered during the cusp of the pandemic. SK note on it explains his reasoning for its use and the character’s beliefs and that of others were a reminder of the division of the time even when it also brought out good in many. the premise was not far fetched and that made it scarier.