Many States Head Back Into Lockdown After a Quarter of a Million Americans Have Passed Away From COVID-19

Ten months into a global pandemic, the United States of America has reached a grim milestone, a quarter of a million Americans have passed away from COVID-19.

According to Johns Hopkins University, cases have surged tremendously, and the U.S. remains the country with the most deaths in the world. Americans have been struggling through the financial and emotional burdens of the pandemic, as well as the deep political divide caused by precautions put in place to keep us safe. U.S. citizens have been waiting for another stimulus package, while many face eviction and looming debt. However, the negotiations for a second relief payment have been on hold. Instead, the government’s leaders seem more preoccupied with the failure of Donald Trump’s reelection campaign rather than helping suffering Americans.

For months, the Trump administration and anti-maskers have downplayed the seriousness of COVID-19, but the staggering numbers do not lie, and it is time for lives lost to be acknowledged. Dr. Anthony Fauci has been going to great lengths to debunk comparisons between COVID-19 and the flu, stating that it’s “not even close.” On average, the flu kills about 42,000 in 12 months, where COVID-19 has killed 250,000 in 10. As cases rise across the country, specifically in the Midwest, pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Moderna are racing to develop a vaccine.

While Trump is quick to take responsibility for the vaccine developments, he has not acknowledged that his failure to respond to COVID-19 has caused a quarter-million deaths. Earlier in the year, he claimed that the disease would magically disappear. In October, Trump tested positive for COVID-19, and an outbreak consumed the White House and the GOP. True to his nature, Trump continued to mock COVID-19, stating that he was immune to it. Now his focus is on attempting to discredit the election with baseless claims of voter fraud. Trump has been spending his time attacking President-elect Joe Biden and filing lawsuits but reports state he has not attended a Coronavirus Task Force meeting in months.

With Thanksgiving next week, travel is expected to increase, though there has been a strong warning against it. The CDC has released guidelines for the holiday season, and they are discouraging travel during the holidays to reduce spread. For those that do gather with family for Thanksgiving, social distancing is strongly recommended, if possible. Restrictions are being reinforced all across the country, as New York City has shut down their school systems, and Philidelphia closes indoor dining, gyms, and many other public gathering spots.

The United States has been under a magnifying glass, with the rest of the world watching our government’s response to COVID-19. Our leadership has let us down, but we can still be responsible for ourselves and our loved ones by continuing to practice good hygiene and social distancing. We can only hope that when President-elect Biden takes office that he will put a mask mandate into place and that all Americans will have equal access to vaccination.