Yes, Covid is very much around still - my SiL has just become infected after avoiding it for the last couple of years. Sorry about your friend, although hopefully he’ll recover quickly.
For those of us who’ve been vaccinated, there’s a strong likelihood that we’ll recover well. The attitude among the virologists I work with is that for most people there’s no more to worry about than getting a cold. Of course for those immunocompromised or unvaccinated, it’s a lot more risky, just like it was before. FWIW I still wear a mask in the supermarket, even though I don’t see a vulnerable person any more.