COVID-19 For Dummies

In case you‘re still confused.

Almost no country’s been spared.

Since its ostensible origins in Wuhan, China, COVID-19 has spread across the globe. There are now an astounding 14.6 million cases and 608,000 deaths. And the numbers will likely be higher by the time you read this.

In March, the pandemic began in earnest in the United States. It’s the end of July, and now there are 4,280,135 verified cases and 147,672 deaths. The curve has made a savage and steady upward climb. The US represents only four percent of the World’s population, but so far, the US accounts for one-fourth of COVID-19 cases and deaths.

COVID-19 didn’t spare Canada, our neighbor to the north. But, there’s a stark contrast between Canada and the US. The number of new daily cases in Canada is on a decline, with 111,000 confirmed cases and 8,855 deaths.

Why? Most Canadians didn’t question the seriousness of the Virus, and the country, as a whole, comply with their government’s quarantine instructions without complaint. And Justin Trudeau, Canada’s Prime Minister, didn’t downplay the seriousness of the virus or politicize mask-wearing.

The US has failed compared to every other country. So how did the seriousness of a pandemic that’s sweeping the globe become a topic of political debate?