As Covid-19 Cases Rise, America Still Doesn’t Get It
Most of the rest of the world is making progress against the coronavirus. Why not the U.S.?
She gets it.
Photographer: Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images
When it comes to coping with the Covid-19 crisis, America has been anything but exceptional. Europe’s patience ahead of cautious reopenings has been rewarded with a steep drop in cases; a recent outbreak in Beijing was met with swift lockdowns and mass testing. New Zealanders have largely returned to their pre-coronavirus routines thanks to strict and early border closures and orders to stay home. In the U.S., however, the curve remains far from flat, with record spikes in cases now appearing in Florida, Arizona, Texas and other states.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t Americans who are doing exceptional work in trying, or that most oppose mask wearing and other social-distancing measures. Despite failures in leadership — and the rollback in reopenings around the country — at higher levels, communities can remain vigilant amid a still-raging pandemic. Here's hoping lessons learned around the world might sink in before the next peak in the wave.