The Pandemic Isn't Over, Why Are We Acting Like It Is?

 About 14 months ago, I wrote about using the Black Death as a model to explain pandemics to Americans. In that time period some of the world's best minds have written books, published articles and given print and video interviews about pandemics and the killing power of COVID-19 and similar viruses. Yet, in the greatest nation on earth, people are still treating this virus like it is the common cold or the flu. 

Praise President Trump for Operation Warp Speed. His administration supported the scientific community in producing vaccines at an amazing pace. In less than a year, scientists have produced medical solutions that can limit the greater risks associated with COVID. Criticize President Trump for downplaying the potency of the disease, adding to the hesitancy about a cure, and failing to advocate taking the vaccine. In fact, if there is one reason to not support a 2024 Trump presidency it would be the conversations with Bob Woodward, his promotion of phony cures, his near death experience, and the fact that he secretly took the vaccine when the other former presidents advertised taking the vaccine in public. 

Blame the Trump supporters who accepted his fibs, and blame those who spread mis-information. Countless people, from politicians to influencers, have gone out of their way to suggest that wearing a mask does not help, that the vaccines are dangerous, and that we should be more concerned about the economy than individuals health. Many of these same people have also supported the rise in Asian-American violence.  

As a result, over 600,000 Americans have perished (and that is probably an undercount). [There are four vaccines available in the United States, but only three have CDC level approval.] Chances of dying from the vaccine is less than 1 in a million and yet vaccine hesitancy or outright rejection looms large in every sector of the nation. 

Praise President Biden for pushing more COVID related legislation to support those affected by the vaccine and for a legitimate vaccine rollout. Criticize President Biden for failing to realize the degree of resistance to taking the vaccine, and for supporting the public end to an ongoing national crisis.

There are over 330 million people in the United States. Currently about 135 million are fully vaccinated. (that's 45% of all Americans and 55% of those over 18)  That is nowhere near any concept of herd immunity nor any safe zone. Some states, including Arizona, Mississippi, Alabama, Utah, Louisiana, Wyoming, Idaho, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, West Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, North Dakota, and Texas, have less than 40% of their populations vaccinated and yet they are opening up. By July every state will officially be open and all mandates will be removed.

This action, on paper, is sheer folly. Nationally, America counts over 4,000 new cases daily. The unvaccinated will catch the virus and easily transmit the disease among each other with the chance of creating a variant that may infect a vaccinated person. While the vaccinated person probably won't die, he or she may get very sick. Statistically, the virus within America is not going to disappear. Rather it will pass from host to host going from state to state as the nation opens up. Globally, it will continue to develop new variants which will mutate as it moves across continents.

The outside world has counted over 3 million deaths, with roughly 8,800 people dying daily.  Additionally, there new variants emerging. This only compounds the problem and ensures that COVID is far from gone. The delta variant is just one of many that currently threaten many parts of the world and is now traceable in 44 states. This variant is more potent than the original virus and yet there is vaccine hesitancy throughout the south and southwest during a summer where people are depending on tourism.

Using the Black Death as a guide, in a period with limited knowledge the virus ravaged for almost 4 years. In our era, the smart science suggested that we could escape the worst of this pandemic in less than 18 months. COVID 19 should have ended before December 2021. However, the smart science has been lost to consumerism and political desires. Fears of falling behind competitor nations, lost wages, and a terrible economy will become our greatest enemy.  The virus is similar to the political fears of a Great Depression. Leaders know what to do, but do their nations have the patience to do the right things?

Let's be honest, the Russians and Chinese are not openly concerned with the numbers of their citizens that perish. However, the west is! The U.S. is the leader of the western world and everyone looks to us for leadership. Are we willing to sacrifice a million Americans?

The experts have stressed that the only way to end COVID 19 is to cure the world. The United States is sending vaccines to other nations, but Americans will not consider taking it themselves. This extends from health professionals to the man and woman in the streets. Why?

COVID is also tied to our sense of American exceptionalism. Here, too, we are failing. We created the world saving cure and don't want to use it. How exceptional is that? It has demonstrated that we lack patience, confidence and courage. That is not the desired image of a superpower.

Unfortunately, I predict that COVID will be with the world for more than another year.  We cannot vaccinate the planet fast enough. However, we could protect ourselves at home. Remember "America First!"?

At home, COVID will be with us for at least another year as we will see spikes from this summer's reckless behavior. Unless a miracle occurs, the full stadiums, amusement parks, restaurants, shopping malls and movie theaters will be incubators for the next wave of variants. We should have the visible data by mid to late October. This time however, it will be unclear who we will blame. But we know there will be no desire to shut down, offer another COVID package in Congress, or make adjustments. 

Perhaps we are willing to sacrifice a million Americans.