COVID-19 pandemic in the United States: Difference between revisions
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== Responses == |
== Responses == |
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{{/Responses}} |
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=== Medical response === |
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==== Initial response outside the U.S. ==== |
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On January 6, a week after the U.S. was informed about the outbreak in China, both the [[Health and Human Services]] department and the CDC offered to send a team of U.S. health experts to China.<ref name="FoxNews"/><ref name=TheHill>{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/480314-us-looks-to-send-health-experts-to-china-amid |title=Trump offers to send health experts to China to help with coronavirus outbreak |work=The Hill |date=January 28, 2020 }}</ref> According to CDC Director [[Robert R. Redfield]], the Chinese government refused to let them in, which contributed to the U.S. getting a late start in identifying the danger of their outbreak and containing it before it reached other countries.<ref name=Redfield/> Secretary [[Alex Azar]] said China did notify the world much sooner than it had after their [[2002–2004 SARS outbreak|SARS outbreak]] in 2003, but it was unexplainably turning away CDC help for this new one.<ref name="nytimes1"/> |
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On January 28, the CDC updated its China travel recommendations to level 3, its highest alert.<ref name="FoxNews"/> Azar submitted names of U.S. experts to the WHO and said the U.S. would provide $105{{nbsp}}million in funding, adding that he had requested another $136{{nbsp}}million from Congress.<ref name=Reuters-2>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-usa/u-s-announces-aid-for-china-other-countries-impacted-by-coronavirus-idUSKBN2012FH |title=U.S. announces aid for China, other countries impacted by coronavirus |work=Reuters |date=February 7, 2020 }}</ref><ref name="nytimes1">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/07/health/cdc-coronavirus-china.html |title=C.D.C. and W.H.O. Offers to Help China Have Been Ignored for Weeks |newspaper=The New York Times |date=February 7, 2020 }}</ref> On February 8, the WHO's director-general announced that a team of international experts had been assembled to travel to China and he hoped officials from the CDC would also be part of that mission.<ref name=NPR-China>{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/02/08/804130735/whos-tedros-china-has-agreed-to-allow-international-team-probe-coronavirus |author=Bobby Allyn |title=China's Coronavirus Death Toll Surpasses SARS Pandemic |publisher=NPR |date=February 8, 2020 |access-date=August 12, 2020}}</ref><ref name="nytimes1"/> The WHO team consisted of thirteen international researchers, including two Americans, and toured five cities in China with twelve local scientists to study the epidemic from February 16–23.<ref>{{cite web | first=Jon | last=Cohen | work=[[Science (journal)|Science]] | title=Quarantined at home now, U.S. scientist describes his visit to China's hot zone | url=https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/quarantined-scientist-reveals-what-it-s-be-china-s-hot-zone | date=March 6, 2020 | access-date=May 5, 2020}}</ref> The final report was released on February 28.<ref>{{cite web | first1=Kai | last1=Kupferschmidt | first2=Jon | last2=Cohen | work=[[Science (journal)|Science]] | title=China's aggressive measures have slowed the coronavirus. They may not work in other countries | url=https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/china-s-aggressive-measures-have-slowed-coronavirus-they-may-not-work-other-countries | date=March 2, 2020 | access-date=May 5, 2020}}</ref> |
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In late January, [[Boeing]] announced a donation of 250,000 medical masks to help address China's supply shortages.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://komonews.com/news/local/boeing-donating-250000-medical-masks-to-battle-coronavirus-in-china |title=Boeing donating 250,000 medical masks to battle coronavirus in China |work=[[KOMO-TV]] |date=January 29, 2020 }}</ref> On February 7, The State Department said it had facilitated the transportation of nearly eighteen tons of medical supplies to China, including masks, gowns, gauze, respirators, and other vital materials.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.state.gov/the-united-states-announces-assistance-to-combat-the-novel-coronavirus/ |title=The United States Announces Assistance To Combat the Novel Coronavirus|work=U.S. Dept. of State |date=February 7, 2020 }}</ref> On the same day, U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo announced a $100{{nbsp}}million pledge to China and other countries to assist with their fights against the virus.,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/482096-us-pledges-100-million-to-help-fight-coronavirus |title=US pledges $100{{nbsp}}million to help fight coronavirus in China |last=Guzman |first=Joseph| name-list-style = vanc |date=February 7, 2020 |website=TheHill|access-date=April 11, 2020}}</ref> however on March 21, China said it had not received epidemic funding from the U.S. and said so again on April 3.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} |
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On February 28, the State Department offered to help Iran fight its own outbreak, as Iran's cases and deaths were dramatically increasing.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/coronavirus-iran-us-help-death-toll-higher |title=Coronavirus in Iran prompts US to extend olive branch amid claim country's death toll far higher than reported |publisher=Fox News |date=February 28, 2020 |access-date=August 12, 2020 |author=Hollie McKay}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/how-iran-became-a-new-epicenter-of-the-coronavirus-outbreak |title=How Iran Became a New Epicenter of the Coronavirus Outbreak |work=The New Yorker |author=Robin Wright |date=February 28, 2020 |access-date=August 12, 2020}}</ref> Iran said, however, that U.S. sanctions were hampering its battle with the disease, which the U.S. denied, saying that Iran had mishandled the crisis.<ref>{{Cite news|date=April 17, 2020|title=Coronavirus: Iran and the US trade blame over sanctions|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-52218656|access-date=September 22, 2020}}</ref> |
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==== Testing ==== |
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{{See also|COVID-19 testing|COVID-19 testing in the United States|Trump administration communication during the COVID-19 pandemic#Testing}} |
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Testing for SARS-CoV-2 can allow healthcare workers to identify infected people. It is also an important component of tracking the pandemic. There are various types of tests currently on the market; some identify whether or not a patient is currently infected, while others give information about previous exposure to the virus. |
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A report published in January 2021 revealed that a Chinese firm, [[BGI Group]] was attempting to distribute its COVID-19 testing kits to at least 11 states in the US. The US intelligence and security officials raised warnings about the security risks involved in using these kits, as BGI was trying to use the patients’ DNA, via the gene-sequencing machines that were being pitched to the US labs. However, federal agencies, including the [[Food and Drug Administration]] and the [[Federal Emergency Management Agency]], as well as the [[United States Department of Health and Human Services]] were pushing the states to use the BGI testing kits, despite such warnings. Besides the 11 states, Nevada received the Chinese-made testing kits from Abu Dhabi's data and artificial intelligence firm, [[Group 42 (Emirati company)|Group 42]], in collaboration with BGI. Some of the testing supplies were used in Nevada, but states like [[Alabama]], [[South Dakota]], [[Ohio]], [[Rhode Island]], [[Massachusetts]], [[Arkansas]], [[California]], [[Indiana]], [[Kansas]], [[North Carolina]] and [[Pennsylvania]] didn't purchase the BGI kits.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-covid-19-tests-were-pushed-by-federal-agencies-despite-security-warnings-11610533802|title=Chinese Covid-19 Tests Were Pushed by Federal Agencies Despite Security Warnings|access-date=January 13, 2021|website=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref> <ref>{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-technology-dubai-nevada-united-arab-emirates-0755b0ed4a9a750bcac432300ca69275|title=US warned Nevada not to use Chinese COVID tests from UAE|access-date=October 15, 2020|website=Associated Press}}</ref> |
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==== Contact tracing ==== |
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{{Further|COVID-19 apps}} |
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[[Contact tracing]] is a tool to control transmission rates during the reopening process. Some states like Texas and Arizona opted to proceed with reopening without adequate contact tracing programs in place. Health experts have expressed concerns about training and hiring enough personnel to reduce transmission. Privacy concerns have prevented measures such as those imposed in South Korea where authorities used cellphone tracking and credit card details to locate and test thousands of nightclub patrons when new cases began emerging.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statnews.com/2020/05/29/contact-tracing-can-it-help-avoid-more-lockdowns/|title=Contact tracing may help avoid another lockdown. Can it work in the U.S.?|date=May 29, 2020}}</ref> Funding for contact tracing is thought to be insufficient, and even better-funded states have faced challenges getting in touch with contacts. Congress has allocated $631{{nbsp}}million for state and local health surveillance programs, but the [[Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security]] estimates that $3.6{{nbsp}}billion will be needed. The cost rises with the number of infections, and contact tracing is easier to implement when the infection count is lower. Health officials are also worried that low-income communities will fall further behind in contact tracing efforts which "may also be hobbled by long-standing distrust among minorities of public health officials".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-health-202/2020/06/15/the-health-202-u-s-isn-t-ready-for-the-contact-tracing-it-needs-to-stem-the-coronavirus/5ee6528b602ff12947e8c0d7/|title=Analysis | The Health 202: U.S. isn't ready for the contact tracing it needs to stem the coronavirus|first=Paige Winfield|last=Cunningham|date=June 15, 2020|via=www.washingtonpost.com}}</ref> |
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As of July 1, only four states are using [[COVID-19 apps|contact tracing apps]] as part of their state-level strategies to control transmission. The apps document digital encounters between smartphones, so the users will automatically be notified if someone they had contact with has tested positive. Public health officials in California claim that most of the functionality could be duplicated by using text, chat, email and phone communications.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2020/07/01/coronavirus-users-weigh-benefits-of-growing-number-of-covid-19-contact-tracing-apps-with-data-privacy-concerns/ |title=New Contact Tracing Apps Need Access To Users' Private Data To Control Spread Of COVID-19 |date=July 1, 2020 |work=sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com |access-date=July 7, 2020 }}</ref> |
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==== Drug therapy development ==== |
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{{Further|COVID-19 drug development|COVID-19 drug repurposing research}} |
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{{See also|List of unproven methods against COVID-19}} |
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[[File:President Trump at the National Institute of Health (49618032306).jpg|thumb|March 3: President Trump and [[Anthony Fauci]] visit the [[Vaccine Research Center]] and the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory at the [[National Institutes of Health]].]] |
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In the United States, remdesivir is indicated for use in adults and adolescents (aged twelve years and older with body weight at least {{convert|40|kg|lb}}) for the treatment of COVID‑19 requiring hospitalization.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Commissioner|first=Office of the|date=October 22, 2020|title=FDA Approves First Treatment for COVID-19|url=https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-treatment-covid-19|access-date=December 1, 2020|website=FDA|language=en}}</ref> In November 2020, the FDA issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the combination of [[baricitinib]] with remdesivir, for the treatment of suspected or laboratory confirmed COVID-19 in hospitalized people two years of age or older requiring supplemental oxygen, invasive mechanical ventilation, or [[extracorporeal membrane oxygenation]] (ECMO).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Commissioner|first=Office of the|date=November 23, 2020|title=Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes Drug Combination for Treatment of COVID-19|url=https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-authorizes-drug-combination-treatment-covid-19|access-date=December 1, 2020|website=FDA|language=en}}</ref> As of August 2020, there were over 500 potential therapies for COVID‑19 disease in various stages of preclinical or clinical research. |
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===== Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine ===== |
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In early March, President Trump directed the FDA to test certain medications to discover if they had the potential to treat COVID-19 patients.<ref name="WSJ-drugs">{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-expected-to-detail-new-virus-therapies-but-expansion-could-be-controversial-11584629965 |title=U.S. Moves to Expand Array of Drug Therapies Deployed Against Coronavirus |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=March 19, 2020 }}</ref> Among those were [[chloroquine]] and [[hydroxychloroquine]], which have been successfully used to treat [[malaria]] for over fifty years. A small test in France by researcher Didier Raoult had given positive results, although the study was criticized for design flaws, small sample size, and the fact that it was published before [[peer review]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Braun |first1=Elisa |title=In France, controversial doctor stirs coronavirus debate |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/30/in-france-controversial-doctor-stirs-coronavirus-debate-156889 |website=Politico |access-date=September 2, 2020 |date=March 30, 2020}}</ref> One of Didier's COVID-19 studies was later retracted by the ''International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/hydroxychloroquine-trial-gets-french-presidents-attention-460000-sign-petition-supporting-1497218 |title=Hydroxychloroquine trial gets French president's attention as 460,000 sign petition supporting treatment |first=Daniel |last= Villarreal |date=April 10, 2020 |website=Newsweek |access-date=September 2, 2020}}</ref> |
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On March 28, the FDA issued an [[Emergency Use Authorization]] (EUA) which allowed certain hospitalized COVID-19 patients to be treated with hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-daily-roundup-march-30-2020 |title= Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: Daily Roundup March 30, 2020 |date=March 30, 2020 |access-date=September 2, 2020 |publisher=FDA}}</ref><ref name="WSJ-drugs" /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.pharmacytimes.com/news/fda-announces-two-drugs-approved-for-compassionate-use-in-treating-covid-19|title=FDA Announces Two Drugs Given 'Compassionate Use' Status in Treating COVID-19|last=Koppock|first=Kristen|date=March 13, 2020|work=Pharmacy Times|access-date=April 25, 2020}}</ref><ref name="JustinWise">{{cite news |last1=Wise |first1=Justin |title=FDA issues emergency-use authorization for anti-malaria drugs amid coronavirus outbreak |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/490110-fda-issues-emergency-use-authorization-for-anti-malaria-drugs-amid |access-date=March 30, 2020 |newspaper=The Hill |date=March 30, 2020}}</ref> On June 15, the FDA revoked the EUA for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine as potential treatments for COVID-19. The FDA said the available evidence showed "no benefit for decreasing the likelihood of death or speeding recovery". On July 1, the FDA published a review of safety issues associated with the drugs, including fatal cardiac arrhythmias among other side effects.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-cautions-against-use-hydroxychloroquine-or-chloroquine-covid-19-outside-hospital-setting-or|title=FDA cautions against use of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine for COVID-19 outside of the hospital setting or a clinical trial due to risk of heart rhythm problems|first=Center for Drug Evaluation and|last=Research|date=June 26, 2020|journal=FDA|via=www.fda.gov}}</ref> |
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In late July, President Trump continued to promote the use of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19. This contrasted with the position of the NIH, which stated the drug was "very unlikely to be beneficial to hospitalized patients with COVID-19".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-doubles-defense-hydroxychloroquine-treat-covid-19-efficacy/story?id=72039824 |title=Trump doubles down on defense of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 despite efficacy concerns |date=July 28, 2020 |access-date=September 2, 2020 |work=ABC |author1=Ben Gittleson |author2=Jordyn Phelps |author3=Libby Cathey}}</ref> |
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==== Vaccines ==== |
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{{Further|COVID-19 vaccine}} |
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{{Graph:Chart |
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| ref=https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations |
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| ref2=https://public.tableau.com/profile/benjamin.renton#!/vizhome/COVID-19VaccineAllocationDashboard/DosesAdministeredDashboard |
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| width=600 |
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| height=200 |
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| xAxisTitle=Date |
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| yAxisTitle=Doses (millions) |
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| legend=Vaccines Distributed and Administered in the United States |
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| type=area |
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| xType=date |
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| xScaleType=linear |
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| xAxisFormat=%b-%d-%y |
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| xAxisAngle=-45 |
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| x=2020/12/20,2020/12/21,2020/12/23,2020/12/26,2020/12/28,2020/12/30,2021/01/02,2021/01/04,2021/01/05,2021/01/06,2021/01/07, |
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2021/01/08,2021/01/11,2021/01/12,2021/01/13,2021/01/14,2021/01/15,2021/01/20,2021/01/21,2021/01/22,2021/01/23,2021/01/24, |
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2021/01/25,2021/01/26,2021/01/27,2021/01/28,2021/01/29,2021/01/30,2021/01/31,2021/02/01,2021/02/02,2021/02/03,2021/02/04, |
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2021/02/05,2021/02/06,2021/02/07 |
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| y1Title= Doses Distributed |
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| y1=2.838225,4.624325,9.465725,9.547929,11.445175,12.409050,13.071925,15.418500,17.020575,17.288950,21.419800,22.137350, |
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25.480725,27.696150,29.380125,30.628175,31.161075,35.990150,37.960000,39.892400,41.411550,41.411550,41.418325, |
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44.394075,47.230950,48.386275,49.216500,49.932850,49.933250,49.936450,52.657675,55.943800,57.489675,58.380300, |
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59.304600,59.307800 |
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| yGrid= True |
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| xGrid= True |
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| y2Title= Doses Administered |
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| y2=0.556208,0.614117,1.008025,1.944585,2.127143,2.589125,4.225756,4.563260,4.836469,5.306797,5.919418,6.688231, |
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8.987322,9.327138,10.278462,11.148991,12.279180,16.525281,17.546374,19.107959,20.537990,21.848655,22.734243, |
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23.540994,24.652634,26.193682,27.884661,29.577902,31.123299,32.222402,32.780860,33.878254,35.203710,36.819212, |
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39.037964,41.210937 |
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| interpolate=monotone |
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| colors=#80add8e6, #8ad880 |
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}} |
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{{Pie chart |
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| caption=Total Number of People Receiving the Vaccinations as of February 7, 2021 in the United States |
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| ref=https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations |
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| label1 = Unvaccinated population: ~296.6 million people |
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| value1 = 90.38 | color1 = silver |
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| label2 = Population who has received one dose of the vaccine: 22,431,915 people<ref>https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations</ref> |
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| value2 = 6.83 | color2 = #42f5da |
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| label3 = Population who has received two doses of the vaccine: 9,147,185 people<ref>https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations</ref> |
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| value3 = 2.79 | color3 = #008 |
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}} |
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{{Pie chart |
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| caption=Vaccines Administered per Pharmaceutical Company as of February 7, 2021 |
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| ref=https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations |
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| label1 = Pfizer-BioNTech (21,622,193) |
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| value1 = 52.47 | color1 = lightblue |
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| label2 = Moderna (19,485,089) |
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| value2 = 47.28 | color2 = lightcoral |
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| label3 = Not Identified (103,655) |
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| value3 = 0.25 | color3 = silver |
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}} |
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Research is ongoing in several countries to create vaccines.<ref name=May-vaccine>{{cite web |url=https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859 |title=COVID-19 (coronavirus) vaccine: Get the facts |work=[[Mayo Clinic]] |date=April 22, 2020 }}</ref> More than 70 companies and research teams are working on a vaccine, with five or six operating primarily in the U.S.<ref name=WSJ-vaccine>{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/america-needs-to-win-the-coronavirus-vaccine-race-11587924258 |title=America Needs to Win the Coronavirus Vaccine Race |first=Scott |last=Gottlieb |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=April 26, 2020 }}</ref> As of October, 44 are in clinical trials on humans, and 91 pre-clinical vaccines are being tested on animals.<ref>{{cite news|title=Coronavirus Vaccine Tracker|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/science/coronavirus-vaccine-tracker.html|date=October 2020|access-date=October 6, 2020|last1=Corum|first1=Jonathan|first2=Sui-Lee|last2=Wee|first3=Carl|last3=Zimmer|work=The New York Times}}</ref> [[Bill Gates]], whose [[Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation|foundation]] shifted its focus nearly entirely to the pandemic, anticipated in early 2020 that a vaccine could be ready by early 2021.<ref>{{cite news|last=De Paoli|first=Lucca|date=April 26, 2020|title=Bill Gates's Coronavirus Vaccine Could Be Ready in 12 Months|work=Bloomberg News|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-26/billionaire-gates-s-foundation-to-focus-solely-on-virus-ft-says|url-status=live|access-date=December 7, 2020}}</ref> In preparation for large-scale production, Congress set aside more than $3.5{{nbsp}}billion for this purpose as part of the [[Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act|CARES Act.]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sbc.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/guide-to-the-cares-act |access-date=August 15, 2020 |title=Guide to the Cares Act |work=[[United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship]] }}</ref><ref name=WSJ-vaccine/> Among the labs working on a vaccine is the [[Walter Reed Army Institute of Research]], which has previously studied other infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, [[ebola]], and MERS. By March 18, tests had begun with dozens of volunteers in Seattle, sponsored by the U.S. government, and similar safety trials of other potential vaccines were to begin soon in the U.S.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gutierrez|first1=Gabe|last2=Seidman|first2=Joel|date=March 21, 2020|title=Walter Reed researchers join global search for coronavirus vaccine|work=NBC News|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/walter-reed-researchers-join-global-search-coronavirus-vaccine-n1165806|url-status=live|access-date=December 10, 2020}}</ref> This search for a vaccine has taken on aspects of national security and global competition.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/19/us/politics/coronavirus-vaccine-competition.html |title=Search for Coronavirus Vaccine Becomes a Global Competition |newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 19, 2020 |first1=David E. |last1=Sanger |first2=David D. |last2=Kirkpatrick |first3=Sui-Lee |last3=Wee |first4=Katrin |last4=Bennhold |access-date=August 15, 2020 }}</ref> |
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On August 5, 2020, the United States agreed to pay [[Johnson and Johnson]] more than $1{{nbsp}}billion to create 100{{nbsp}}million doses of [[COVID-19 vaccine]]. The deal gave the U.S. an option to order an additional 200{{nbsp}}million doses. The doses were supposed to be provided for free to Americans if they are used in a COVID-19 vaccination campaign.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/05/jj-reaches-deal-with-us-for-100-million-doses-of-coronavirus-vaccine-at-more-than-1-billion.html|title=Johnson & Johnson reaches deal with U.S. for 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccine at more than $1 billion|access-date=August 5, 2020|website=CNBC}}</ref> |
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[[File:Pharmacy vaccinations (2021).jpg|thumb|Senior citizens await COVID-19 vaccine at Maryland pharmacy (Jan 2021).]] |
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[[Biotechnology Innovation Organization|BIO]], a trade group including all makers of coronavirus vaccines except AstraZeneca, tried to persuade Secretary Azar to publish strict FDA guidelines that could help ensure the safety and public uptake of the vaccine. Politics impacted scientific practice, however, when chief of staff [[Mark Meadows (North Carolina politician)|Mark Meadows]] blocked the FDA when it was realized that the timing of the provisions would make it impossible for a vaccine to be authorized before the November election.<ref>{{cite news|title=White House Blocks New Coronavirus Vaccine Guidelines|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/05/us/politics/coronavirus-vaccine-guidelines.html|first1=Sharon|last1=LaFraniere|first2=Noah|last2=Weiland|date=October 5, 2020|access-date=October 6, 2020|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=FDA Sets Goals That May Put Vaccine Out of Reach Before Election|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-06/fda-to-demand-two-months-safety-data-expert-review-for-vaccine|date=October 6, 2020|first1=Drew|last1=Armstrong|first2=Angelica|last2=LaVito|publisher=Bloomberg News}}</ref> Ultimately, the guidelines emerged<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/10/06/world/covid-coronavirus/the-fda-has-released-stricter-guidelines-for-vaccine-developers-after-a-holdup-at-white-house|title=The F.D.A. has released stricter guidelines for vaccine developers after a holdup at White House|author=Zimmer, Carl|date=October 6, 2020|access-date=October 6, 2020|work=The New York Times}}</ref> from the [[Office of Management and Budget]] and were published on the FDA website.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fda.gov/media/139638/download|title=Development and Licensure of Vaccines to Prevent COVID-19 Guidance for Industry|date=June 2020|access-date=October 6, 2020|publisher=FDA|author=U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Food and Drug Administration: Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research}}</ref> |
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On November 20, 2020, the Pfizer-BioNTech partnership submitted a request for emergency use authorization to the FDA,<ref>{{cite press release | title=Pfizer and BioNTech to Submit Emergency Use Authorization Request Today to the U.S. FDA for COVID-19 Vaccine | website=Pfizer | date=November 20, 2020 | url=https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-submit-emergency-use-authorization | access-date=November 20, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last=Park | first=Alice | title=Exclusive: Pfizer CEO Discusses Submitting the First COVID-19 Vaccine Clearance Request to the FDA | work=Time | date=November 20, 2020 | url=https://time.com/5914139/pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-fda-authorization/ | access-date=November 20, 2020 | name-list-style=vanc }}</ref> and the FDA announced that its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) will review the EUA request on December 10.<ref name="FDA PR 20201120">{{cite press release | title=Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Announces Advisory Committee Meeting to Discuss COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate | website=U.S. [[Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA) | url=https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-announces-advisory-committee-meeting-discuss-covid-19-vaccine | access-date=November 20, 2020}} {{PD-notice}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee December 10, 2020 Meeting Announcement | website=U.S. [[Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA) | url=https://www.fda.gov/advisory-committees/advisory-committee-calendar/vaccines-and-related-biological-products-advisory-committee-december-10-2020-meeting-announcement | access-date=November 30, 2020}}</ref> |
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On November 30, 2020, Moderna submitted a request for an EUA to the FDA.<ref>{{cite news | title=Moderna Applies for Emergency F.D.A. Approval for Its Coronavirus Vaccine | website=[[The New York Times]] | date=November 30, 2020 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/30/health/covid-vaccine-moderna.html | access-date=November 30, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release | title=Moderna Announces Primary Efficacy Analysis in Phase 3 COVE Study for Its COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate and Filing Today with U.S. FDA for Emergency Use Authorization | website=Moderna, Inc. | date=November 30, 2020 | url=https://investors.modernatx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/moderna-announces-primary-efficacy-analysis-phase-3-cove-study | access-date=November 30, 2020}}</ref> |
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On December 11, 2020, the [[Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA) granted emergency use authorization for the [[Tozinameran|Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine]].<ref name="FDA PR 20201211">{{cite press release | title=FDA Takes Key Action in Fight Against COVID-19 By Issuing Emergency Use Authorization for First COVID-19 Vaccine | publisher=U.S. [[Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA) | date=December 11, 2020 | url=https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-key-action-fight-against-covid-19-issuing-emergency-use-authorization-first-covid-19 | access-date=December 11, 2020}} {{PD-notice}}</ref><ref name="pmid 33332292">{{cite journal |vauthors=Oliver SE, Gargano JW, Marin M, Wallace M, Curran KG, Chamberland M, McClung N, Campos-Outcalt D, Morgan RL, Mbaeyi S, Romero JR, Talbot HK, Lee GM, Bell BP, Dooling K | display-authors=6 |title=The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' Interim Recommendation for Use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine - United States, December 2020 |journal=MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep |volume=69 |issue=50 |pages=1922–24 |date=December 2020 |pmid=33332292 |doi=10.15585/mmwr.mm6950e2 | pmc=7745957 |doi-access=free |url=https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/pdfs/mm6950e2-H.pdf }}</ref> An initial shipment of 2.9{{nbsp}}million doses are scheduled to be distributed rapidly and Pfizer has promised to continue supplying the rest of the 100{{nbsp}}million doses through March 2021.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Thomas|first1=Katie|last2=LaFraniere|first2=Sharon|last3=Weiland|first3=Noah|last4=Goodnough|first4=Abby|last5=Haberman|first5=Maggie|date=December 12, 2020|title=F.D.A. Clears Pfizer Vaccine, and Millions of Doses Will Be Shipped Right Away|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/11/health/pfizer-vaccine-authorized.html|access-date=December 12, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Maxouris|first=Christina|date=December 12, 2020|title=FDA's Covid-19 vaccine authorization is a 'monumental moment,' expert says. It came on the deadliest day of the pandemic|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/12/health/us-coronavirus-saturday/index.html|access-date=December 12, 2020|website=CNN}}</ref> Pfizer began distribution of its vaccine on December 17, 2020, but the federal government inexplicably substantially reduced the amounts anticipated, and that it was allowed to distribute, despite adequate stocks having been made available.<ref>{{cite news | last1=Stanley-Becker | first1=Isaac | last2=Abutaleb | first2=Yasmeen | last3=Sun | first3=Lena H. | last4=Dawsey | first4=Josh | title=States report confusion as government reduces vaccine shipments, while Pfizer says it has 'millions' of unclaimed doses | website=[[The Washington Post]] | date=December 17, 2020 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/12/17/pfizer-vaccine-supply-states/ | access-date=December 19, 2020 | name-list-style=vanc }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title="We are not perfect": General apologizes for "miscommunication" over vaccine shipments | website=Axios | date=December 19, 2020 | url=https://www.axios.com/army-general-apology-states-vaccine-doses-86a0ef99-f9c1-4a33-b7bf-8b052dc8bcf6.html | access-date=December 19, 2020}}</ref> |
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On December 18, 2020, the FDA granted the [[Moderna vaccine]] emergency use authorization.<ref name="FDA PR 20201218">{{cite press release | title=FDA Takes Additional Action in Fight Against COVID-19 By Issuing Emergency Use Authorization for Second COVID-19 Vaccine | website=U.S. [[Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA) | url=https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-additional-action-fight-against-covid-19-issuing-emergency-use-authorization-second-covid | access-date=December 18, 2020}} {{PD-notice}}</ref><ref name="CDC ACIP Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine">{{cite journal | last1=Oliver | first1=Sara E. | last2=Gargano | first2=Julia W. | last3=Marin | first3=Mona | last4=Wallace | first4=Megan | last5=Curran | first5=Kathryn G. | last6=Chamberland | first6=Mary | last7=McClung | first7=Nancy | last8=Campos-Outcalt | first8=Doug | last9=Morgan | first9=Rebecca L. | last10=Mbaeyi | first10=Sarah | last11=Romero | first11=José R. | last12=Talbot | first12=H. Keipp | last13=Lee | first13=Grace M. | last14=Bell | first14=Beth P. | last15=Dooling | first15=Kathleen | display-authors=6 | title=The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' Interim Recommendation for Use of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine — United States, December 2020 | journal=MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report | volume=69 | issue=5152 | date=December 2020 | pages=1653–1656 | doi=10.15585/mmwr.mm695152e1 | pmid=33382675 | s2cid=229945697 | url=https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/pdfs/mm695152e1-H.pdf | name-list-style=vanc}}</ref> The U.S. plans to rapidly distribute 5.9 million doses with more to come later.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Lovelace Jr. |first1=Berkeley|date=December 19, 2020|title=FDA approves second Covid vaccine for emergency use as it clears Moderna's for U.S. distribution|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/18/moderna-covid-vaccine-approved-fda-for-emergency-use.html|access-date=December 19, 2020|website=CNBC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=December 11, 2020|title=Trump Administration purchases additional 100 million doses of COVID-19 investigational vaccine from Moderna|url=https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2020/12/11/trump-administration-purchases-additional-100-million-doses-covid-19-investigational-vaccine-moderna.html|access-date=December 18, 2020|website=U.S. [[Health and Human Services]] (HHS)}}</ref> |
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==== Medical supply shortages ==== |
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{{See also|Shortages related to the COVID-19 pandemic}} |
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[[File:NNU Protest UCLA Medical Center (crop).png|thumb|April 13: Protest by [[National Nurses United]] over lack of [[personal protective equipment]] at [[Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center|UCLA Medical Center]]]] |
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The first known case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was confirmed by the CDC on January 21, 2020.<ref name=CNN20200329 /> The next day, the owner of the medical supply company [[Prestige Ameritech]] wrote to HHS officials to say he could produce millions of N95 masks per month, but the government was not interested. In a follow-up letter on January 23, the business owner informed the government that "We are the last major domestic mask company," without success.<ref>{{Cite web|title=In the early days of the pandemic, the U.S. government turned down an offer to manufacture millions of N95 masks in America|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/in-the-early-days-of-the-pandemic-the-us-government-turned-down-an-offer-to-manufacture-millions-of-n95-masks-in-america/2020/05/09/f76a821e-908a-11ea-a9c0-73b93422d691_story.html|last=Davis|first=Aaron C.|date=May 9, 2020|website=Washington Post|access-date=May 9, 2020}}</ref> |
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On February 5, Trump administration officials declined an offer for congressional coronavirus funding. Senator [[Chris Murphy]] recalled that the officials, including Secretary Azar, "didn't need emergency funding, that they would be able to handle it within existing appropriations."<ref>{{cite news |first=Suzanne |last=Smalley |url=https://news.yahoo.com/senator-says-white-house-turned-down-emergency-coronavirus-funding-in-early-february-003319950.html |title=Senator says White House turned down emergency coronavirus funding in early February |date=March 27, 2020 |website=news.yahoo.com }}</ref> On February{{nbsp}}7 [[Mike Pompeo]] announced the administration donated more than 35,000 pounds of "masks, gowns, gauze, respirators, and other vital materials" to China the same day the WHO warned about "the limited stock of PPE ([[personal protective equipment]])".<ref name="CNN20200329">{{cite news |first=Dean |last=Obeidallah |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/29/opinions/coronavirus-personal-protective-equipment-obeidallah |title=Trump administration sent protective medical gear to China while he minimized the virus threat to US |work=CNN |date=March 30, 2020 }}</ref> |
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In February, the [[Department of Commerce]] published guidance advising U.S. firms on compliance with Beijing's fast-track process for the sale of "critical medical products", which required the masks shipped overseas meet U.S. regulatory standards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/context/commerce-s-covid-service-flyer/7e7f5bec-fb82-4516-a858-89b3ae658eaf/|title=Commerce's COVID Service Flyer|website=Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=U.S. sent millions of face masks to China early this year, ignoring pandemic warning signs |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/us-sent-millions-of-face-masks-to-china-early-this-year-ignoring-pandemic-warning-signs/2020/04/18/aaccf54a-7ff5-11ea-8013-1b6da0e4a2b7_story.html |date=April 18, 2020 |work=The Washington Post}}</ref> According to Chinese customs disclosures, more than 600 tons of face masks were shipped to China in February.<ref name=n95/> |
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In early March, the country had about twelve million [[N95 masks]] and thirty million [[surgical mask]]s in the [[Strategic National Stockpile]] (SNS), but the DHS estimated the stockpile had only 1.2% of the roughly 3.5{{nbsp}}billion masks that would be needed if COVID-19 were to become a "full-blown" pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web|title=HHS clarifies US has about 1% of face masks needed for 'full-blown' coronavirus pandemic|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/04/hhs-clarifies-us-has-about-1percent-of-face-masks-needed-for-full-blown-pandemic.html|last=Lovelace Jr.|first=Berkeley|date=March 4, 2020|website=CNBC|language=en|access-date=May 14, 2020}}</ref> A previous 2015 CDC study found that seven billion N95 respirators might be necessary to handle a "severe respiratory outbreak".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Akpan |first1=Nsikan |title=U.S. has only a fraction of the medical supplies it needs to combat coronavirus.|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/03/us-america-has-fraction-medical-supplies-it-needs-to-combat-coronavirus/? |access-date=March 24, 2020 |work=[[National Geographic (magazine)|National Geographic]] |date=March 3, 2020}}</ref> |
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As of March, the SNS had more than 19,000 ventilators (16,660 immediately available and 2,425 in maintenance), all of which dated from previous administrations.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Gore|first=D'Angelo|date=June 22, 2020|title=Trump Inherited More Ventilators Than Have Been Distributed|url=https://www.factcheck.org/2020/06/trump-inherited-more-ventilators-than-have-been-distributed/|access-date=June 25, 2020|website=FactCheck.org|language=en-US}}</ref> Vessel manifests maintained by [[U.S. Customs and Border Protection]] showed a steady flow of the medical equipment needed to treat the coronavirus being shipped abroad as recently as March 17. Meanwhile [[FEMA]] said the agency "has not actively encouraged or discouraged U.S. companies from exporting overseas" and asked USAID to send back its reserves of protective gear for use in the U.S.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/31/pence-task-force-coronavirus-aid-157806|title=Pence taskforce freezes coronavirus aid amid backlash|website=Politico}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://theintercept.com/2020/04/01/coronavirus-medical-supplies-export |title=Key Medical Supplies Exported From U.S. to Foreign Buyers |publisher=Theintercept.com |date=April 1, 2020 |access-date=April 7, 2020}}</ref> President Trump evoked the Defense Production Act to prohibit some medical exports.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://time.com/5815155/3m-face-masks-trump/|title=3M Says White House's Request to Stop Exporting Masks Would Reduce U.S. Supplies|website=Time|language=en|access-date=April 19, 2020}}</ref> Some analysts warned that export restrictions could cause retaliation from countries that have medical supplies the United States needs to import.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/04/08/828789521/borders-didnt-stop-the-pandemic-but-they-might-block-the-trade-of-medical-goods|title=Borders Didn't Stop The Pandemic. But They Might Block The Trade Of Medical Goods|website=NPR.org}}</ref> |
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[[File:President Trump in Michigan (49922546878).jpg|thumb|May 21: President Trump traveled to the [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] Rawsonville Components Plant in [[Ypsilanti, Michigan]] to tour the factory where ventilators were being produced.]] |
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By the end of March, states were in a bidding war against each other and the federal government for scarce medical supplies such as N95 masks, surgical masks, and ventilators.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Forgey |first1=Quint |last2=Choi |first2=Matthew |title=Trump downplays need for ventilators as New York begs to differ |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/26/trump-ventilators-coronavirus-151311 |access-date=March 30, 2020 |work=Politico |date=March 27, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/04/coronavirus-crisis-ventilator-shortages-have-not-come-to-pass/|title=The Ventilator Shortage That Wasn't|date=April 17, 2020|website=National Review|language=en-US|access-date=April 19, 2020}}</ref><ref name="BieseckerApril7" /> Meanwhile, as states scrambled to purchase supplies at inflated prices from third party distributors (some of which later turned out to be defective), hundreds of tons of medical-grade face masks were shipped by [[air freight]] to foreign buyers in China and other countries.<ref name=n95>{{cite news |last=Fang |first=Lee |title=The Airline Industry Blocked Disclosure of Trade Data, Helping Conceal the Airlift of N95 masks from the US to China |url=https://theintercept.com/2020/06/29/ppe-china-export-airlifts/ |date=June 29, 2020 |work=The Intercept}}</ref> |
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Medical organizations such as the [[American Medical Association]] and [[American Nurses Association]] implored Trump to obtain medical supplies, because they were "urgently needed".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Naughton |first1=Hailey |last2=Naughton |first2=Keith |title=Trump Baffles Ford, GM Over Ventilators They're Willing to Make |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-22/trump-says-they-can-make-ventilators-automakers-aren-t-so-sure |access-date=April 24, 2020 |work=[[Bloomberg News]] |date=March 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200323135559/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-22/trump-says-they-can-make-ventilators-automakers-aren-t-so-sure |archive-date=March 23, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date = March 31, 2020 |title = Why stronger federal leadership is needed to buy, distribute PPE|website = American Medical Association|url = https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/why-stronger-federal-leadership-needed-buy-distribute-ppe| last=O'Reilly |first=Kevin| access-date= July 31, 2020}}</ref> That led President Trump to sign an order setting motion parts of the [[Defense Production Act]], first used during the [[Korean War]], to allow the federal government a wide range of powers, including telling industries on what to produce, allocating supplies, giving incentives to industries, and allowing companies to cooperate.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vazquez |first1=Maegan |title=Trump invokes Defense Production Act to expand production of hospital masks and more |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/18/politics/trump-defense-production-act-coronavirus/index.html |access-date=March 25, 2020 |publisher=CNN |date=March 18, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rizzo |first1=Salvador |title=Is Trump using the Defense Production Act? |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/03/25/is-trump-using-defense-production-act/ |access-date=March 25, 2020 |work=The Washington Post |date=March 25, 2020}}</ref> Trump then ordered auto manufacturer [[General Motors]] to make ventilators.<ref name=WatsonMarch27>{{cite news |last1=Watson |first1=Kathryn |title=Trump invokes Defense Production Act to require GM to produce ventilators |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-invokes-defense-production-act-to-require-gm-to-produce-ventilators-2020-03-27/ |access-date=April 24, 2020 |work=[[CBS News]] |date=March 27, 2020}}</ref> |
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During this period, hospitals in the U.S. and other countries were reporting shortages of test kits, test swabs, masks, gowns, and gloves (collectively referred to as PPE.)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Diamond |first1=Dan |title=Short-term thinking plagues Trump's coronavirus response |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/21/short-term-thinking-trump-coronavirus-response-140883 |access-date=March 25, 2020 |work=Politico |date=March 21, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Adamczyk |first1=Ed |title=U.S. mayors say they're running out of supplies to fight coronavirus |url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2020/03/27/US-mayors-say-theyre-running-out-of-supplies-to-fight-coronavirus/2751585333088/ |access-date=March 30, 2020 |agency=[[United Press International]] |date=March 27, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Mccammon |first1=Sarah |title=Hospitals Reject Trump's Claim They Are 'Really Thrilled' With Supplies |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/05/827671323/hospitals-reject-trumps-claim-they-are-really-thrilled-with-supplies |website=NPR |access-date=April 7, 2020}}</ref> The [[Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services]] released a report regarding their March 23–27 survey of 323 hospitals. The hospitals reported "severe shortages of testing supplies", "frequently waiting 7{{nbsp}}days or longer for test results", which extended the length of patient stays, and as a result, "strained bed availability, personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies, and staffing". The hospitals also reported, "widespread shortages of PPE" and "changing and sometimes inconsistent guidance from federal, state and local authorities".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Grimm |first1=Christi |title=Hospital Experiences Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a National Pulse Survey March 23–27, 2020 |url=https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-06-20-00300.pdf |access-date=April 18, 2020 |publisher=[[Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services]]}}</ref> At a press briefing following the release of the report President Trump called the report "wrong" and questioned the motives of the author. Later he called the report "another fake dossier".<ref name="RobertsonApril7">{{cite web |last1=Robertson |first1=Lori |title=The HHS Inspector General Report |date=April 7, 2020 |url=https://www.factcheck.org/2020/04/the-hhs-inspector-general-report/ |publisher=[[Factcheck.org]] |access-date=April 18, 2020}}</ref> |
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In early April, there was a widespread shortage of PPE, including masks, gloves, gowns, and sanitizing products.<ref>{{cite news| last=Balmes| first=John R.| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/mask-shortages-are-outrageous-the-federal-government-needs-to-do-better/2020/04/02/58301064-7399-11ea-87da-77a8136c1a6d_story.html|title=Mask shortages are outrageous. The federal government needs to do better.| work=The Washington Post| date=April 2, 2020| access-date=April 4, 2020}}</ref> The difficulties in acquiring PPE for local hospitals led to orders for gowns and other safety items being confiscated by FEMA and diverted to other locations, which meant that in some cases states had to compete for the same PPE.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Levey |first1=Noam |title=Hospitals say feds are seizing masks and other coronavirus supplies without a word |url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-04-07/hospitals-washington-seize-coronavirus-supplies |access-date=April 27, 2020 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=April 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200412043814/https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-04-07/hospitals-washington-seize-coronavirus-supplies |archive-date=April 12, 2020}}</ref> The shortages led in one instance of a governor asking the [[New England Patriots]] of the [[NFL]] to use their private plane to fly approximately 1.2{{nbsp}}million masks from China to [[COVID-19 pandemic in Boston|Boston]].<ref name="WWLP-NE-Patriots">{{cite news |last=Asiamah |first=Nancy |date=April 3, 2020 |title=3 million masks ordered by Massachusetts were seized at Port of NY in March |url=https://www.wwlp.com/news/massachusetts/3-million-masks-ordered-by-massachusetts-seized-at-port-of-ny-in-march/ |url-status=live |work=WWLP 22 News |location=Boston, Massachusetts |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412104110/https://www.wwlp.com/news/massachusetts/3-million-masks-ordered-by-massachusetts-seized-at-port-of-ny-in-march/ |archive-date=April 12, 2020 |access-date=April 27, 2020}}</ref> At that time, [[United States Department of Veterans Affairs|Veterans Affairs]] (VA) employees said nurses were having to use surgical masks and face shields instead of more protective N95 masks.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rein |first1=Lisa |title=VA health chief acknowledges a shortage of protective gear for its hospital workers |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/va-health-chief-acknowledges-a-shortage-of-protective-gear-for-its-hospital-workers/2020/04/24/4c1bcd5e-84bf-11ea-ae26-989cfce1c7c7_story.html |access-date=April 27, 2020 |work=[[The Washington Post]] |date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200425191929/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/va-health-chief-acknowledges-a-shortage-of-protective-gear-for-its-hospital-workers/2020/04/24/4c1bcd5e-84bf-11ea-ae26-989cfce1c7c7_story.html |archive-date=April 25, 2020}}</ref> In May, [[Rick Bright]], a federal immunologist and [[whistleblower]], testified that the federal government had not taken proper action to acquire the needed supplies.<ref name=n95/> |
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An unexpectedly high percentage of COVID-19 patients in the ICU required [[dialysis]] as a result of [[kidney failure]], about 20%.<ref name="politico">{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/15/dialysis-kidney-coronavirus-188840|title=U.S. races to stock up on dialysis supplies as kidney failure ravages virus patients|website=Politico}}</ref> In mid-April, employees at some hospitals in New York City reported not having enough [[dialysis machine]]s, were running low on fluids to operate the machines, and reported a shortage of dialysis nurses as many were out sick with COVID-19 due to lack of sufficient PPE.<ref name="politico" /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/18/health/kidney-dialysis-coronavirus.html|title=An Overlooked, Possibly Fatal Coronavirus Crisis: A Dire Need for Kidney Dialysis|first1=Reed|last1=Abelson|first2=Sheri|last2=Fink|first3=Nicholas|last3=Kulish|first4=Katie|last4=Thomas|date=April 18, 2020|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/04/19/837727691/doctors-at-hard-hit-hospitals-say-theyre-facing-shortage-of-dialysis-equipment|title=Doctors at Hard-Hit Hospitals Say They're Facing Shortage Of Dialysis Equipment|website=NPR.org}}</ref> |
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On May 14, a Trump administration official told reporters "we do anticipate having 300 million” N95 masks by autumn; however, at the end of September, there were only 87.6 million N95 masks in the government stockpile.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Nazaryan|first=Alexander|date=September 29, 2020|title=Trump promised 300 million N95 masks by September. He isn't even close.|url=https://news.yahoo.com/trump-promised-300-million-n-95-masks-by-september-he-isnt-even-close-183019656.html|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=September 29, 2020|website=news.yahoo.com|language=en-US}}</ref> |
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Supply problems persisted in August 2020, when a survey reported 42% of nurses were experiencing widespread or intermittent shortages of personal protective equipment, with 60% using single-use equipment for five or more days.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/nurses-say-they-re-short-on-masks-other-protection-supplies-1.1487981|title=Nurses Say They're Short on Masks, Other Protection Supplies—BNN Bloomberg|first=Bloomberg|last=News|date=September 1, 2020|website=BNN}}</ref> A September report by [[National Public Radio]] found some items were in short supply but others widely available, depending on the difficulty of manufacturing.<ref name="probe">{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/09/16/913448230/npr-investigates-why-the-shortages-of-personal-protective-equipment|title=NPR Probes Why Personal Protective Equipment Is Still In Short Supply|website=NPR.org}}</ref> The DPA was effective in producing ventilators but less so in producing N95s. As of September, the DPA had stimulated N95 production mainly by existing major manufacturers and less so by smaller companies. Additionally, the DPA's provision that exempts manufacturers from antitrust laws had not yet been used to encourage collaboration in N95 production.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Contrera|first=Jessica|date=September 21, 2020|title=The N95 shortage America can't seem to fix|work=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/local/news/n-95-shortage-covid/|url-status=live|access-date=September 21, 2020}}</ref> |
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In response to demand, a number of domestic businesses retooled and due to lack of federal coordination ended up producing a glut of hand sanitizer and face shields, some losing money due to the oversupply. The federal government used the [[Defense Production Act]] to get a small number of large manufacturers such as [[3M]] and [[Honeywell]] to increase production of the more difficult to manufacture [[N95 mask]]s, but supply was still falling hundreds of millions of units short of demand. NPR found the shortage could be resolved by providing government guarantees to small and medium-sized manufacturers so they could increase production of N95 masks without the risk of losing money or going out of business due to oversupply or drop in demand when the pandemic ends. Instead, President Trump has denied the PPE shortages exist, calling them "fake news" in April<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/26/trump-ppe-fake-news-207523|title=Trump called PPE shortages 'fake news.' Health care workers say they're still a real problem.|website=POLITICO}}</ref> and in September saying "we've opened up factories, we've had tremendous success with face masks and with shields".<ref name="probe" /> Demand has also increased since the early weeks of the pandemic as various industries reopened, including medical and dental offices, construction, and trucking.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/07/why-ppe-shortage.html|title=Why Is There Still a PPE Shortage?|first=Adam K.|last=Raymond|date=July 9, 2020|website=Intelligencer}}</ref> The [[2020 California wildfires]] also increased demand for N95 masks for agricultural and other outdoor workers, due to state regulations requiring protection during poor air quality conditions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/09/14/912752013/wildfires-make-dangerous-air-for-farmworkers-it-s-like-you-can-t-breathe|title=Wildfires Make Dangerous Air For Farmworkers: 'It's Like You Can't Breathe'| last=Doubek| first=James| date=September 14, 2020| website=NPR.org}}</ref> |
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[[File:USNS Mercy Surgery (49837752577).jpg|thumb|The San Diego-based [[hospital ship]] ''[[USNS Mercy (T-AH-19)|Mercy]]'' arrived in Los Angeles in late March to help treat non-coronavirus patients]] |
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==== Exceeded hospital capacity ==== |
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Uncontrolled [[community spread]] led some medical facilities to refuse new patients or start transferring patients out. In March and April, this happened in the [[Detroit, Michigan]] area<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/henry-ford-health-reaches-capacity-at-2-hospitals-for-covid-19-patients|title=Henry Ford Health reaches capacity at 2 hospitals for COVID-19 patients|date=March 25, 2020|website=FOX 2 Detroit}}</ref> and [[COVID-19 pandemic in New York City|New York City]] area;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/21/nyregion/coronavirus-hospital-usta-queens.html|title=This Hospital Cost $52 Million. It Treated 79 Virus Patients.|first=Brian M.|last=Rosenthal|date=July 21, 2020|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> [[Yakima, Washington]] in June;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/07/28/896088067/as-coronavirus-cases-surge-npr-examines-hospital-capacity|title=As Coronavirus Cases Surge, NPR Examines Hospital Capacity|website=NPR.org}}</ref> and in July it happened in [[Houston]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2020/07/10/houston-coronavirus-emergency-rooms/|title=Houston hospitals are increasingly turning away new patients as coronavirus overwhelms emergency rooms|first=Charles Ornstein, ProPublica and Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC|last=News|date=July 10, 2020|website=The Texas Tribune}}</ref> |
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the [[Boise, Idaho]] area,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/07/22/894343578/idaho-is-among-the-most-likely-to-see-hospitals-reach-their-capacity|title=In Idaho, One Of The Last States Hit By The Coronavirus, Cases Are Now Surging|website=NPR.org}}</ref> [[Lake Charles, Louisiana|Lake Charles]] and [[Lafayette, Louisiana]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/07/27/895651311/coronavirus-pushes-some-hospitals-to-the-brink|title=Coronavirus Pushes Some Hospitals In Southern Louisiana To The Brink|website=NPR.org}}</ref> |
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and at dozens of hospitals across Florida.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-07-29-20-intl/h_15aad8fa4b8ae02fc0ca3e7a7a4655a4|title=At least 54 hospitals have reached ICU capacity in Florida|first1=Nectar|last1=Gan|first2=Adam|last2=Renton|first3=Melissa|last3=Macaya|first4=Meg|last4=Wagner|first5=Mike|last5=Hayes|date=July 29, 2020|website=CNN}}</ref> By August, some hospitals in [[Mississippi]] were transferring patients out of state.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/08/03/898656250/mississippi-on-track-to-become-no-1-state-for-new-cases-of-coronavirus-per-capit|title=Mississippi On Track To Become No. 1 State For New Coronavirus Cases Per Capita| last1=Shapiro |first1=Ari| last2=Pao |first2=Maureen| date=August 3, 2020 |access-date=January 7, 2021| website=NPR.org}}</ref> |
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Arizona declared [[crisis standards of care]] in July 2020, allowing hospitals to legally provide treatment normally considered substandard to some patients in order to save others.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kvoa.com/news/2020/07/01/arizona-under-crisis-standards-of-care-triage-protocols-in-place/| title=Arizona under 'Crisis Standards of Care'; triage protocols in place |first=Denelle|last=Confair|date=July 2, 2020 |website=KVOA.com}}</ref> |
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In January 2021, Southern California hospitals began to be overwhelmed with patients. Officials in Los Angeles County, where some ambulances had to wait up to eight hours to discharge patients at emergency rooms, ordered EMTs to stop bringing patients to the hospital who had little chance of survival. They also directed crews to take measures to conserve medical oxygen.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/01/05/953653359/los-angeles-ambulances-told-to-conserve-oxygen-and-limit-hospital-transfers |title='Things Are Worse Than People Think': LA County Official On New Directives For EMS |last=Chang |first=Ailsa| website=NPR.org| date=January 5, 2021|access-date=January 7, 2021}}</ref> |
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[[File:West Virginia National Guard - 49744586872.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|A testing team responds to a confirmed case in a nursing home in [[Charleston, West Virginia]]]] |
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=== Federal, state, and local governments === |
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{{See|U.S. federal government response to the COVID-19 pandemic|U.S. state and local government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic}} |
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The [[federal government of the United States]] responded to the pandemic with various [[State of emergency#United States|declarations of emergency]], which resulted in travel and entry restrictions. They also imposed guidelines and recommendations regarding the [[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education#United States|closure of schools]] and public meeting places, [[Curfews and lockdowns related to the COVID-19 pandemic|lockdowns]], and other restrictions intended to slow the progression of the virus, which state, territorial, tribal, and local governments have followed. |
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Effective July 15, 2020, the default data centralization point for COVID-19 data in the U.S. is switching from the [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] to [[Department of Health and Human Services]].<ref name= cdcToHhs >{{Cite web|url=https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/covid-19-faqs-hospitals-hospital-laboratory-acute-care-facility-data-reporting.pdf|title=HHS (March 2020) COVID-19 Guidance for Hospital Reporting and FAQs For Hospitals, Hospital Laboratory, and Acute Care Facility Data Reporting—Updated July 10, 2020}}</ref><ref name= dataGlitchesAfterSwitchover >{{cite news |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/16/us-coronavirus-data-has-already-disappeared-after-trump-administration-shifted-control-from-cdc-to-hhs.html |first=Will |last=Feuer |date=July 16, 2020 |title=Coronavirus data has already disappeared after Trump administration shifted control from CDC }}</ref><ref name= rockyStart >{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-data-reporting-system-gets-off-to-rocky-start-11597178974 |first=Robbie |last=Whelan |date=August 11, 2020 |title=Covid-19 Data Reporting System Gets Off to Rocky Start |quote=They pulled it away from CDC because it was updated three times a week, and now they update it once a week.{{nbsp}}... HHS's estimated patient impact and hospital-capacity statistics, for example, weren't updated between August{{nbsp}}3 and August 10.}}</ref> However, "hospitals may be relieved from reporting directly to the Federal Government if they receive a written release from the State stating the State will collect the data from the hospitals and take over Federal reporting."<ref name= cdcToHhs /> |
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=== Military === |
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{{See also|Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the military#United States|COVID-19 pandemic on naval ships#United States|Withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq (2020)}} |
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On February 3, an unclassified Army briefing document on the coronavirus projected that in an unlikely "[[Black swan theory|black swan]]" scenario, "between 80,000 and 150,000 could die." The theory correctly stated that [[Asymptomatic carrier|asymptomatic]] people could "easily" [[Transmission (medicine)|transmit]] the virus, a belief that was presented as outside medical consensus at the time of the briefing. The briefing also stated that military forces could be tasked with providing logistics and medical support to civilians, including "provid[ing] PPE (N-95 Face Mask, Eye Protection, and Gloves) to evacuees, staff, and DoD personnel".<ref>{{cite web |author1=James LaPorta |author2=Spencer Ackerman |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/army-warned-in-early-february-that-coronavirus-could-kill-150000-americans |title=Army Warned in Early February That Coronavirus Could Kill 150,000 Americans |date=April 3, 2020 |publisher=[[The Daily Beast]] |access-date=August 12, 2020}}</ref><ref name= phc,pEmbl >[https://www.army.mil/article/238568/phc_p_embls_shift_gears_to_fight_covid_19 Amber Kurka (August 27, 2020) PHC-P EMBLs shift gears to fight COVID-19] Public Health Command-Pacific Environmental Molecular Biology Laboratory was able to translate its specialized personnel and equipment into service before COVID-19 was deemed a pandemic.</ref> |
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[[File:USNS Comfort in NYC, 1 April 2020.jpg|thumb|{{USNS|Comfort|T-AH-20|6}}, docked in Manhattan]] |
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[[File:Florida National Guard (49889962733).jpg|thumb|The members of the [[Florida National Guard]] support Feed Tampa Bay in their efforts to distribute food to the local community]] |
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In mid-March, the government began having the military add its health care capacity to impacted areas. The [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]] (USACE), under the authority of [[Federal Emergency Management Agency]] (FEMA), leased private buildings nationwide. They included hotels, college dormitories, and larger open buildings, which were converted into temporary hospitals. The [[Jacob K. Javits Convention Center]] in New York City was quickly transformed into a 2,000-bed care facility on March 23, 2020.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-23/n-y-s-javits-center-to-add-2-000-beds-to-system-under-strain |title=N.Y.'s Javits Center to Add 2,000 Beds to System Under Strain |date=March 23, 2020 |work=Bloomberg L.P. |access-date=March 26, 2020 }}</ref> The [[United States Army|Army]] also set up [[field hospital]]s in various affected cities.<ref name= uamtf332,1/> |
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Some of these facilities had [[Intensive care unit|ICU]]s for COVID-19 patients, while others served non-coronavirus patients to allow established hospitals to concentrate on the pandemic.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/balajis/status/1242029099310133248|title=Ok. It's just one clip. But it's by far the most intelligent thing I've heard any government official say in the last few months. Further increases likelihood the military will take over COVID-19 response in the near future. |website=twitter.com/usarmy|first=Balaji S.|last=Srinivasan|date=March 23, 2020|access-date=March 24, 2020}}{{Primary source inline|date=April 2020}}</ref><ref name= uamtf332,1 >{{cite web |url=https://www.army.mil/article/237328/verge_of_collapsing_soldiers_describe_initial_fight_against_covid_19 |first=Thomas |last=Brading |work=Army News Service |date=July 16, 2020 |title='Verge of collapsing': Soldiers describe the initial fight against COVID-19 }}</ref> At the height of this effort, [[U.S. Northern Command]] had deployed nine thousand military medical personnel.<ref name= uamtf332,1/> |
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On March 18, in addition to the many popup hospitals nationwide, the [[United States Navy|Navy]] deployed two [[hospital ship]]s, {{USNS|Mercy|T-AH-19|6}} and {{USNS|Comfort|T-AH-20|6}}, which were planned to accept non-coronavirus patients transferred from land-based hospitals, so those hospitals could concentrate on virus cases.<ref name=ships>{{cite web|url=https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/2116862/hospital-ships-other-dod-assets-prepare-for-coronavirus-response/|title=Hospital Ships, Other DOD Assets Prepare for Coronavirus Response|website=U.S. Department of Defense|access-date=March 19, 2020}}</ref> On March 29, citing reduction in on-shore medical capabilities and the closure of facilities at the [[Port of Miami]] to new patients, the U.S. Coast Guard required ships carrying more than fifty people to prepare to care for sick people on board.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/01/825205607/coast-guard-tells-cruise-ships-with-covid-19-cases-to-stay-away-from-u-s-ports|title=Coast Guard Tells Cruise Ships With COVID-19 Cases To Stay Away From U.S. Ports|last=Chappell|first=Bill|date=April 1, 2020|website=NPR|language=en|access-date=April 5, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://homeport.uscg.mil/Lists/Content/Attachments/62863/MSIB%2020-001%20COVID-19%20Cruiseship%20Medical%20Capabilities_Signed.29Mar20.pdf |title=Marine Safety Information Bulletin 01-20 |date=March 29, 2020 }}</ref> |
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On April 6, the Army announced that [[basic training]] would be postponed for new recruits. Recruits already in training would continue what the Army is calling "social-distanced-enabled training".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/06/828276307/u-s-army-delays-new-recruits-basic-training-due-to-coronavirus |title=U.S. Army Delays New Recruits' Basic Training Due To Coronavirus |date=April 6, 2020 |publisher=NPR}}</ref> However, the military, in general, remained ready for any contingency in a COVID-19 environment. By April 9, nearly 2,000 service members had confirmed cases of COVID-19.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/04/09/terrible-tragic-mistake-top-general-warns-enemies-not-test-us-military-readiness.html|title='Terrible, Tragic Mistake:' Top General Warns Enemies Not to Test US Military Readiness|work=Military.com|date=April 9, 2020|access-date=April 12, 2020}}</ref> |
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In April, the Army made plans to resume collective training.<ref name= planToResumeCollectiveTraining >{{cite web |url=https://www.army.mil/article/235160/army_finalizing_plan_to_resume_collective_training |title=Army finalizing plan to resume collective training |publisher=United States Army |first=Sean |last=Kimmons |date=April 30, 2020 |url-status=live |work=Army News Service |location=Washington |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626200816/https://www.army.mil/article/235160/army_finalizing_plan_to_resume_collective_training |archive-date=June 26, 2020 |access-date=July 3, 2020 }}</ref> Social distancing of soldiers is in place during training, assemblies,<ref name= ftHuachucaAitVideo >{{cite web |url=https://vimeo.com/408177447 |work=U.S. Army Fort Huachuca |date=April 2020 |title=Fort Report Soldiers PCS During COVID-19 |quote=Permanent Change of Station (PCS) }}</ref> and transport between locations.<ref name= ftHuachucaAitArticle>{{cite web |url=https://www.army.mil/article/234747/soldier_graduates_to_their_new_duty_stations |first=Thom|last=Williams |date=April 20, 2020 |title=Soldier graduates to their new duty stations |work=U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence travel from Fort Huachuca, Arizona }}</ref> Temperatures of the soldiers are taken at identified intervals, and measures are taken to immediately remediate affected soldiers.<ref name= westPtGraduationPlanning >{{cite web |url=https://www.army.mil/article/234815/president_to_speak_at_west_point_graduation |first=Audricia |last=Harris |date=April 26, 2020 |title=Statement from the Secretary of the Army on West Point graduation }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |
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|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/24/us/politics/coronavirus-trump-west-point.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200424180546/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/24/us/politics/coronavirus-trump-west-point.html |url-status=live |archive-date=April 24, 2020 |first1=Eric |last1=Schmitt |first2=Annie |last2=Karni |date=April 24, 2020 |title=Trump Speech to Bring 1,000 West Point Cadets Back to Campus |access-date=June 13, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |
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|url=https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2020/04/30/army-defends-decision-to-have-west-point-graduation/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200503000856/https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2020/04/30/army-defends-decision-to-have-west-point-graduation/ |url-status=live |archive-date=May 3, 2020 |first=Lolita C. |last=Baldor |agency=The Associated Press |date=April 30, 2020 |title=Army defends decision to have West Point graduation |quote=1000 First Classmen divided into five cohorts, and quarantine physically separated before the graduation }}</ref><ref name= westPtGraduationPlanDetails >{{cite web |url=https://www.army.mil/article/235804/plans_in_place_to_safely_welcome_class_of_2020_back_to_west_point |first=Brandon |last=OConnor |date=May 20, 2020 |title=Plans in place to safely welcome Class of 2020 back to West Point |access-date=June 13, 2020 }}</ref> |
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On June 26, 2020, the VA reported 20,509 cases of COVID-19 and 1,573 deaths among patients, plus more than two thousand cases and 38 deaths among its own employees.<ref>{{cite news |last=Shane |first=Leo |date=June 26, 2020 |title=Grim COVID-19 milestones for Veterans Affairs: 20,000 cases, 1,500 deaths in the last 100 days |url=https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2020/06/26/grim-coronavirus-milestones-for-veterans-affairs-20000-cases-1500-deaths-in-the-last-100-days/ |work=[[Sightline Media Group|Militarytimes.com]] |location= |access-date=July 3, 2020 }}</ref> As of July 2020, additional Reserve personnel are on 'prepare-to-deploy orders' to Texas and California.<ref name= uamtf332,1/> |
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=== Private sector === |
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Many [[janitor]]s and other cleaners throughout the United States reported that they were not given adequate time, resources or training to clean and to disinfect institutions for COVID-19. One pilot reported that less than ten minutes was allotted to clean entire airplanes between arrival and departure, which did not allow cleaners to disinfect the tray tables and bathrooms, for which the practice was to wipe down only those that "[look] dirty." Cleaning cloths and wipes were reused, and disinfecting agents, such as bleach, were not provided. Employees also complained that they were not informed if coworkers tested positive for the virus. The [[Occupational Safety and Health Administration]] (OSHA), the federal agency that regulates workplace safety and health, investigated a small fraction of these complaints. Mary Kay Henry, president of [[Service Employees International Union]], which represents 375,000 American custodians, explained that "reopenings happened across the country without much thoughtfulness for cleaning standards." She urged better government standards and a certification system.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=July 17, 2020 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/17/us/coronavirus-janitors.html |title=No Bleach and Dirty Rags: How Some Janitors Are Asked to Keep You Virus Free |first=Jodi |last=Kantor}}</ref> |
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=== Public response === |
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==== Partisan divide ==== |
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[[File:2020-03-06 — Coronavirus – Flyers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport wearing facemasks.jpg|thumb|Passengers wearing facemasks at [[Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport]]]] |
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Polling showed a significant partisan divide regarding the outbreak.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/2020/3/15/21180506/coronavirus-poll-democrats-republicans-trump|title=A new poll shows a startling partisan divide on the dangers of the coronavirus|first=Zeeshan|last=Aleem|date=March 15, 2020|website=Vox}}</ref> In February, similar numbers of Democrats and Republicans believed COVID-19 was "a real threat": 70% and 72%, respectively. By mid-March, 76% of Democrats viewed COVID-19 as "a real threat", while only 40% of Republicans agreed.<ref name=NPRpoll>{{cite news |last1=Allyn |first1=Bobby |last2=Sprunt |first2=Barbara |title=Poll: As Coronavirus Spreads, Fewer Americans See Pandemic As A Real Threat |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/03/17/816501871/poll-as-coronavirus-spreads-fewer-americans-see-pandemic-as-a-real-threat |access-date=March 25, 2020 |publisher=NPR |date=March 17, 2020}}</ref> In mid-March, various polls found Democrats were more likely than Republicans to believe "the worst was yet to come" (79% to 40%), to believe their lives would change in a major way due to the outbreak (56% to 26%),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/meet-the-press/sixty-percent-believe-worst-yet-come-u-s-coronavirus-pandemic-n1159106 |title=Sixty percent believe worst is yet to come for the U.S. in coronavirus pandemic; Public attitudes about the coronavirus response are split along partisan lines in a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll |work=NBC News |first=Mark |last=Murray |date=March 15, 2020}}</ref> and to take certain precautions against the virus (83% to 53%).<ref name=Slatepoll/> The CDC was the most trusted source of information about the outbreak (85%), followed by the WHO (77%), state and local government officials (70-71%), the news media (47%), and President Trump (46%).<ref name=Slatepoll>{{cite web|url=https://slate.com/business/2020/03/democrats-republicans-coronavirus-trump.html |title=Democrats Are Being Much, Much More Careful About the Coronavirus Than Republicans|first=Jordan|last=Weissmann|date=March 17, 2020|website=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]}}</ref> |
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Political analysts anticipated that the pandemic would negatively affect Trump's chances of re-election.<ref name="qsnbr">{{Cite news |last1=Haberman |first1=Maggie |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/12/us/politics/trump-vs-biden.html |title=Trump's Re-election Chances Suddenly Look Shakier |date=March 12, 2020 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 15, 2020 |last2=Martin |first2=Jonathan |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="AtlanticChances">{{cite news |last1=Lowrey |first1=Annie |title=The Economy Is Collapsing. So Are Trump's Reelection Chances. |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/04/most-important-number-trumps-re-election-chances/609376/ |access-date=May 3, 2020 |work=The Atlantic |date=April 3, 2020}}</ref> In March 2020, when social distancing practices began, the governors of many states experienced sharp gains in approval ratings.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Gabriel|first1=Trip|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/31/us/politics/trump-approval-rating.html|title=Who Are the Voters Behind Trump's Higher Approval Rating?|date=March 31, 2020|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 1, 2020|last2=Lerer|first2=Lisa|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Trump's approval rating increased from 44% to 49% in [[Gallup poll]]s,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Jones|first=Jeffrey M.|url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/298313/president-trump-job-approval-rating.aspx|title=President Trump's Job Approval Rating Up to 49%|date=March 24, 2020|work=Gallup|access-date=April 1, 2020|last2=|first2=}}</ref> but it fell to 43% by mid-April. At that time, [[Pew Research]] polls indicated that 65% of Americans felt Trump was too slow in taking major steps to respond to the pandemic.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rummler |first1=Orion |title=Gallup: Trump's approval rating takes its steepest drop |url=https://www.axios.com/trump-coronavirus-approval-rating-442a186f-0b10-467b-afb0-8ec408d8e349.html |access-date=April 19, 2020 |work=[[Axios (website)|Axios]] |date=April 17, 2020}}</ref> |
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On April 16, Pew Research polls indicated that 32% of Americans worried state governments would take too long to re-allow public activities, while 66% feared the state restrictions would be lifted too quickly.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Coleman |first1=Justine |title=Two-thirds of Americans worry states will lift restrictions on public activity too quickly: poll |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/news/public-global-health/493210-two-thirds-of-americans-worry-states-will-lift |access-date=April 19, 2020 |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |date=April 16, 2020}}</ref> An April 21 poll found a 44% approval rate for the president's handling of the pandemic, compared to 72% approval for state governors.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/most-rate-trumps-coronavirus-response-negatively-and-expect-crowds-will-be-unsafe-until-summer-post-u-md-poll-finds/2020/04/20/0b436dda-833b-11ea-a3eb-e9fc93160703_story.html |title=Most rate Trump's coronavirus response negatively and expect crowds will be unsafe until summer, Post-U. Md. poll finds |website=Washington Post |date=April 21, 2020}}</ref> A mid-April poll estimated that President Trump was a source of information on the pandemic for 28% of Americans, while state or local governments were a source for 50% of Americans. 60% of Americans felt Trump was not listening enough to health experts in dealing with the outbreak.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pace |first1=Julie |last2=Fingerhut |first2=Hannah |title=AP-NORC poll: Few Americans trust Trump's info on pandemic |url=https://apnews.com/87f1545cea4b5e8c96e6e902a8d9e9bd |access-date=May 5, 2020 |work=[[Associated Press]] |date=April 24, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Assessing the President as an Information Source on the Coronavirus Outbreak |url=http://www.apnorc.org/projects/Pages/Assessing-the-President-as-an-Information-Source-on-the-Coronavirus-Outbreak.aspx |access-date=May 5, 2020 |work=[[NORC at the University of Chicago]]}}</ref> |
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A May 2020 poll concluded that 54% of people in the U.S. felt the federal government was doing a poor job in stopping the spread of COVID-19 in the country. 57% felt the federal government was not doing enough to address the limited availability of COVID-19 testing. 58% felt the federal government was not doing enough to prevent a second wave of COVID-19 cases later in 2020.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Agiesta |first1=Jennifer |title=CNN Poll: Negative ratings for government handling of coronavirus persist |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/12/politics/cnn-poll-federal-government-handling-of-coronavirus/index.html |access-date=May 13, 2020 |work=[[CNN]] |date=May 12, 2020}}</ref> A poll conducted from May 20 and 21 found that 56% of the American public were "very" concerned about "false or misleading information being communicated about coronavirus", while 30% were "somewhat" concerned. 56% of Democrats said the top source of false or misleading information about the coronavirus was the Trump administration, while 54% of Republicans felt the media was the top source of false or misleading information. The same poll found that 44% of Republicans and 19% of Democrats believed a debunked [[conspiracy theory]] that Bill Gates was plotting to use a COVID-19 vaccine to inject microchips into the population.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Romano |first1=Andrew |title=New Yahoo News/YouGov poll shows coronavirus conspiracy theories spreading on the right may hamper vaccine efforts |url=https://news.yahoo.com/new-yahoo-news-you-gov-poll-shows-coronavirus-conspiracy-theories-spreading-on-the-right-may-hamper-vaccine-efforts-152843610.html |access-date=May 25, 2020 |work=[[Yahoo News]] |date=May 22, 2020}}</ref> |
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Studies using GPS location data and surveys found that Republicans engaged in less social distancing than Democrats during the pandemic.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Allcott|first1=Hunt|last2=Boxell|first2=Levi|last3=Conway|first3=Jacob|last4=Gentzkow|first4=Matthew|last5=Thaler|first5=Michael|last6=Yang|first6=David|date=August 6, 2020|title=Polarization and Public Health: Partisan Differences in Social Distancing during the Coronavirus Pandemic|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0047272720301183|journal=Journal of Public Economics|volume=191|language=en|pages=104254|doi=10.1016/j.jpubeco.2020.104254|pmid=32836504|issn=0047-2727|pmc=7409721}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Grossman|first1=Guy|last2=Kim|first2=Soojong|last3=Rexer|first3=Jonah M.|last4=Thirumurthy|first4=Harsha|date=September 29, 2020|title=Political partisanship influences behavioral responses to governors' recommendations for COVID-19 prevention in the United States|url=https://www.pnas.org/content/117/39/24144|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|language=en|volume=117|issue=39|pages=24144–24153|doi=10.1073/pnas.2007835117|issn=0027-8424|pmid=32934147|pmc=7533884|s2cid=221747080|pmc-embargo-date=March 15, 2021}}</ref> Controlling for relevant factors, Republican governors were slower to implement social distance policies than Democratic governors.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Adolph|first1=Christopher|last2=Amano|first2=Kenya|last3=Bang-Jensen|first3=Bree|last4=Fullman|first4=Nancy|last5=Wilkerson|first5=John|date=2020|title=Pandemic Politics: Timing State-Level Social Distancing Responses to COVID-19|url=https://read.dukeupress.edu/jhppl/article/doi/10.1215/03616878-8802162/166718/Pandemic-Politics-Timing-State-Level-Social|journal=Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law|language=en|volume=|pages=|doi=10.1215/03616878-8802162|pmid=32955556|via=|doi-access=free}}</ref> |
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==== Protests ==== |
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{{further|2020 United States anti-lockdown protests|George Floyd protests}} |
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{{Excerpt|2020 United States anti-lockdown protests|nohat=yes|files=0}} |
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[[File:OPEN our OHIO IMG 0144 (49790376873).jpg|thumb|An [[2020 United States anti-lockdown protests|anti-lockdown protester]] wearing a face mask at the [[Ohio Statehouse]] in April 2020<ref name="Columbus Dispatch">{{cite news |last1=Rouan |first1=Rick |title=Protesters at Statehouse demand state reopen as DeWine announces schools to remain closed |url=https://www.dispatch.com/news/20200420/protesters-at-statehouse-demand-state-reopen-as-dewine-announces-schools-to-remain-closed |access-date=May 3, 2020 |work=[[The Columbus Dispatch]] |date=April 20, 2020 |language=en}}</ref>]] |
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Starting in late May, large-scale protests against police brutality in at least 200 U.S. cities in response to the [[killing of George Floyd]] raised concerns of a resurgence of the virus due to the close proximity of protesters.<ref>{{cite web |title=Protests could cause catastrophic setback for controlling coronavirus, experts say |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/protests-could-accelerate-spread-coronavirus-public-health-experts-say-n1220551 |website=NBC News |access-date=June 1, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> Fauci said it could be a "perfect set-up for the spread of the virus",<ref>{{cite news |last1=Meek |first1=Andy |title=Dr. Fauci is worried that protestors may be spreading coronavirus |url=https://bgr.com/2020/06/07/coronavirus-us-fauci-protest-comments-crowds-spread-virus/ |work=BGR |date=June 7, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> and that "masks can help, but it's masks plus physical separation."<ref>{{cite news |title=Fauci underscores concerns about protests spreading coronavirus |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/502001-fauci-underscores-concerns-about-protests-spreading-coronavirus |work=The Hill |date=June 10, 2020}}</ref> One study found an increase in cases,<ref>{{cite journal|vauthors=Valentine R, Valentine D, Valentine JL|date=August 5, 2020|title=Relationship of George Floyd protests to increases in COVID-19 cases using event study methodology|journal=Journal of Public Health, Fdaa127|volume=42|issue=4|pages=696–697|doi=10.1093/pubmed/fdaa127|pmid=32756893|pmc=7454741}}</ref> while the Associated Press reported that there is little evidence for such an assertion.<ref>{{cite news|title=Experts see little evidence that George Floyd protests spread coronavirus in U.S.|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/07/02/experts-see-little-evidence-that-george-floyd-protests-spread-coronavirus-in-u-s/|date=July 2, 2020|access-date=November 20, 2020|author=Stobbe, Mike and Forester, Nicky|work=San Jose Mercury News|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> |
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==== International views of the United States ==== |
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In September 2020, [[Pew Research Center]] found that the global image of the United States had suffered in many foreign nations. In some nations, the United States' favorability rating had reached a record low since Pew began collecting this data nearly 20 years ago. Across 13 different nations, a median of 15% of respondents rated the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic positively.<ref>{{cite web |first1=Richard |last1=Wike |first2=Janell |last2=Fetterolf |first3=Mara |last3=Mordecai |title=U.S. Image Plummets Internationally as Most Say Country Has Handled Coronavirus Badly |publisher=Pew Research Center |date=September 15, 2020 |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2020/09/15/us-image-plummets-internationally-as-most-say-country-has-handled-coronavirus-badly/ |access-date=September 26, 2020}}</ref> |
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==== Other ==== |
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The outbreak prompted calls for the United States to adopt social policies common in other wealthy countries, including [[universal health care]], [[universal child care]], [[paid sick leave]], and higher levels of funding for public health.<ref name="NYT Calls">{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Claire Cain |title=Could the Pandemic Wind Up Fixing What's Broken About Work in America? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/10/upshot/coronavirus-future-work-america.html |access-date=May 3, 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=April 10, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Hill5">{{cite news |last1=Swanson |first1=Ian |title=Five ways the coronavirus could change American politics |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/495761-five-ways-the-coronavirus-could-change-american-politics |access-date=May 3, 2020 |work=TheHill |date=May 2, 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Ddn2P">{{cite web |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/03/13/opinion/americas-botched-response-coronavirus-is-problem-bigger-than-donald-trump/ |title=America's botched response to the coronavirus is a problem bigger than Donald Trump |website=[[Boston Globe]]}}</ref> |
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== Challenges == |
== Challenges == |
Revision as of 02:48, 8 February 2021
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States | |
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Disease | COVID-19 |
Virus strain | SARS-CoV-2 |
Location | United States |
First outbreak | Wuhan, Hubei, China[1] |
Index case | Chicago, IL (earliest known arrival)[2] Everett, WA (first case report)[3] |
Arrival date | January 13, 2020[4] (4 years, 11 months, 2 weeks and 1 day ago) |
Confirmed cases | |
Recovered |
|
Deaths | |
Fatality rate | |
Government website | |
coronavirus |
The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). More than 26,900,000 confirmed cases have been reported since January 2020, resulting in more than 463,000 deaths, the most of any country and the eighth-highest per capita.[6][9] The U.S. has nearly a quarter of the world's cases and a fifth of all deaths. More Americans have died from COVID-19 than during World War II.[10] COVID-19 became the third leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2020, behind heart disease and cancer.[11]
On December 31, 2019, China announced the discovery of a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan. The first American case was reported on January 20, and then-President Donald Trump declared the U.S. outbreak a public health emergency on January 31. Restrictions were placed on flights arriving from China,[12][13] but the initial U.S. response to the pandemic was otherwise slow, in terms of preparing the healthcare system, stopping other travel, and testing.[14][15][16][a] Meanwhile, Trump remained optimistic on the future of the coronavirus in the United States.
The first known American deaths occurred in February.[18][b] On March 6, Trump signed the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, which provided $8.3 billion in emergency funding for federal agencies to respond to the outbreak.[19] On March 13, President Trump declared a national emergency.[20] In mid-March, the Trump administration started to purchase large quantities of medical equipment,[21] and in late March, it invoked the Defense Production Act to direct industries to produce medical equipment.[22] By April 17, the federal government approved disaster declarations for all states and territories. By mid-April, cases had been confirmed in all fifty U.S. states, and by November in all inhabited U.S. territories. A second rise in infections began in June 2020, following relaxed restrictions in several states.[23]
State and local responses to the outbreak have included prohibitions and cancellation of large-scale gatherings (including festivals and sporting events), stay-at-home orders, and school closures.[24] Disproportionate numbers of cases have been observed among Black and Latino populations,[25][26][27] and there were reported incidents of xenophobia and racism against Asian Americans.[28] Clusters of infections and deaths have occurred in many areas.[c]
Timeline
December 2019 to February 2020
In late November 2019, coronavirus infections had first broken out in Wuhan, China.[31][32] China publicly reported the cluster on December 31, 2019.[3] On January 6, U.S. Health and Human Services offered to send China a team of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) health experts to help contain the outbreak, but China ignored the offer,[33] which the CDC said contributed to the U.S. and other countries getting a late start in identifying the danger and taking early action.[34][35]
After China confirmed that the cluster of infections was caused by a novel infectious coronavirus[3] on January 7, the CDC issued an official health advisory the following day.[36] The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on January 10 about the strong possibility of human-to-human transmission and urged precautions.[37] On January 20, the WHO and China both confirmed that human-to-human transmission had indeed occurred.[38] The CDC immediately activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to respond to the outbreak in China.[39] Also, the first report of a COVID-19 case in the U.S. was reported.[3] After other cases were reported, on January 30, the WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)—its highest level of alarm[40]—warning that "all countries should be prepared for containment."[41][42][e] The same day, the CDC confirmed the first person-to-person case in America.[44] The next day, the U.S. declared a public health emergency.[45] Although by that date there were only seven known cases in the U.S., the HHS and CDC reported that there was a likelihood of further cases appearing in the country.[45]
The Trump administration evacuated American nationals from Wuhan in late January; the evacuees were greeted by officilas who did not wear protective gear because the Trump administration worried about "bad optics."[46] On February 2, the U.S. enacted travel restrictions to and from China.[13] On February 6, the earliest confirmed American death with COVID-19 (that of a 57-year-old woman) occurred in Santa Clara County, California. The CDC did not report its confirmation until April 21,[18] by which point nine other COVID-19 deaths had occurred in Santa Clara County.[47] The virus had been circulating undetected at least since early January and possibly as early as November.[48] On February 25, the CDC warned the American public for the first time to prepare for a local outbreak.[49] However, large gatherings that occurred before then accelerated transmission.[50]
In February, Vice President Mike Pence took over for Secretary Alex Azar as chair of the White House Coronavirus Task Force.[51]
March to April 2020
By March 11, the virus had spread to 110 countries, and the WHO officially declared a pandemic.[24] The CDC had already warned that large numbers of people needing hospital care could overload the healthcare system, which would lead to otherwise preventable deaths.[52][53] Dr. Anthony Fauci said the mortality from the coronavirus was 10 times higher than the common flu.[54]
By March 12, diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. exceeded a thousand.[55] On March 16, the White House advised against any gatherings of more than ten people.[56] Since March 19, the State Department has advised U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel.[57]
By the middle of March, all fifty states were able to perform tests with a doctor's approval, either from the CDC or from commercial labs. However, the number of available test kits remained limited, which meant the true number of people infected had to be estimated.[58] As cases began spreading throughout the nation, federal and state agencies began taking urgent steps to prepare for a surge of hospital patients. Among the actions was establishing additional places for patients in case hospitals became overwhelmed.[59] Manpower from the military and volunteer armies were called up to help construct the emergency facilities.[60][61]
Throughout March and early April, several state, city, and county governments imposed "stay at home" quarantines on their populations to stem the spread of the virus.[62] By March 27, the country had reported over 100,000 cases.[63] On April 2, at President Trump's direction, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and CDC ordered additional preventive guidelines to the long-term care facility industry.[64] On April 11, the U.S. death toll became the highest in the world when the number of deaths reached 20,000, surpassing that of Italy.[65] On April 19, the CMS added new regulations requiring nursing homes to inform residents, their families and representatives, of COVID-19 cases in their facilities.[66] On April 28, the total number of confirmed cases across the country surpassed one million.[67]
May to August 2020
By May 27, less than four months after the pandemic reached the U.S., 100,000 Americans had died with COVID-19.[68] State economic reopenings and lack of widespread mask orders resulted in a sharp rise in cases across most of the continental U.S. outside of the Northeast.[69] A study conducted in May 2020 indicated that the true number of COVID-19 cases in the United States was much higher than the number of confirmed cases with some locations having 6 to 24 times higher infections.[70][71]
On July 6, the United States Department of State announced U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization effective July 6, 2021.[72] The U.S. passed five million COVID-19 cases by August 8.[73]
On July 10, the CDC adopted the Infection Fatality Ratio (IFR), "the number of individuals who die of the disease among all infected individuals (symptomatic and asymptomatic)," as a new metric for disease severity, replacing the Symptomatic Case Fatality Ratio and the Symptomatic Case Hospitalization Ratio. Per the CDC, the IFR "takes into account both symptomatic and asymptomatic cases, and may therefore be a more directly measurable parameter for disease severity for COVID-19."[74]
In July, U.S. PIRG and 150 health professionals sent a letter asking the federal government to "shut it down now, and start over".[75] In July and early August, requests multiplied, with a number of experts asking for lockdowns of "six to eight weeks"[76] that they believed would restore the country by October 1, in time to reopen schools and have an in-person election.[77]
In August, over 400,000 people attended the 80th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, and from there, at least 300 people in more than 20 states were infected.[78] The CDC followed up with a report on the associated 51 confirmed primary event-associated cases, 21 secondary cases, and five tertiary cases in the neighboring state of Minnesota, where one attendee died of COVID-19.[79]
September to December 2020
On September 22, the U.S. passed 200,000 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.[80] In early October, an unprecedented series of high-profile U.S. political figures and staffers announced they had tested positive for COVID-19.[81][82] On October 2, Trump announced on Twitter that both he and the First Lady had tested positive for the coronavirus and would immediately quarantine.[83][82] Trump was given an experimental Regeneron product with two monoclonal antibodies[84][f] and taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center,[86] where he was given remdesivir and dexamethasone.[87]
USA Today studied the aftermath of presidential election campaigning, recognizing that causation was impossible to determine. Among their findings, cases increased 35% compared to 14% for the state after a Trump rally in Beltrami County, Minnesota. One case was traced to a Biden rally in Duluth.[88]
On November 9, President-elect Joe Biden's transition team announced his COVID-19 Advisory Board.[89] On the same day, the total number of cases had surpassed 10 million[90] while the total had risen by over 1 million cases in the ten days prior, averaging 102,300 new cases per day.[91] Pfizer also announced that its COVID-19 vaccine may be up to 90% effective.[92][93] In November, the Trump administration reached an agreement with a number of retail outlets, including pharmacies and supermarkets, to make the COVID-19 vaccine free once available.[94]
In spite of recommendations by the government not to travel, over two million people ended up flying on airlines during the Thanksgiving period.[95] On December 8, the U.S. passed 15 million cases, with about one out of every 22 Americans having tested positive since the pandemic began.[96] By December 12, TSA employees across U.S. airports had a 38% increase in COVID-19 infections.[97] On December 14, the U.S. passed 300,000 deaths, representing an average of more than 961 deaths per day since the first known death on February 6. More than 50,000 deaths were reported in the past month, with an average of 2,403 daily deaths occurring in the past week.[98] On December 20, a 52-year-old female Black woman, Dr Susan Moore died of complications from COVID-19, after she was sent home from the hospital following her treatment. Moore had raised a complaint against the biased medical treatment of Black patients, where a white doctor at a hospital in suburban Indianapolis downplayed her complaints of pain.[99]
On December 24, following concerns over a probably more easily transmissible new SARS-CoV-2 variant from the United Kingdom (B.1.1.7), the CDC announced testing requirements for American passengers traveling from the UK, to be administered within 72 hours, starting on December 28.[100][101] On December 29, the U.S. reported the first case of this variant in Colorado. The patient had no travel history, leading the CDC to state, "Given the small fraction of US infections that have been sequenced, the variant could already be in the United States without having been detected."[102] On December 30 and 31, the country's second and third confirmed cases of the variant were reported in California and Florida.[103][104]
January 2021
On January 1, 2021, the U.S. passed 20 million cases, representing an increase of more than one million over the past week and 10 million in less than two months.[108][109] On January 6, the CDC announced that it had found at least 52 confirmed cases of the more contagious SARS-CoV-2 variant in California, Florida, Colorado, Georgia, and New York; and it also stressed that there could already be more cases in the country.[110] In the following days, more cases of the variant were reported in other states, leading former CDC director Tom Frieden to express his concerns that the U.S. will soon face "close to a worst-case scenario".[111] It was believed the more contagious variant was present in the U.S. since October.[112]
Also on January 6, supporters of President Trump stormed the United States Capitol building.[113] At least one activist participated in the riot despite a recent positive COVID-19 diagnosis,[114] and few members of the crowd wore face coverings, with many coming from out of town.[113] A group of maskless Republicans sheltering in place were recorded refusing masks offered by Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (D–DE),[115] and as many as 200 congressional staffers reportedly sheltered in various rooms inside the Capitol, further increasing the risk of transmission.[113][116] Brian P. Monahan, the attending physician of Congress, later reported that members of Congress may have been exposed to others with COVID-19 while sheltering in place.[115][117] Four members of Congress have since tested positive due to the exposure.[118]
On January 19, the U.S. passed 400,000 deaths, just five weeks after the country passed 300,000 deaths.[119] On January 22, the U.S. passed 25 million cases, with one of every 13 Americans testing positive for COVID-19.[120]
Responses
Challenges
The American cultural values of individualism and skepticism of government have created difficulties in getting the population to abide by public health directives.[121] The prevalence of pandemic fatigue has resulted in further noncompliance.[122][123]
Conspiracy theories and misinformation reached millions of Americans through social media and television commentary.[124] As a result, many people believe falsehoods, for example, that wearing masks is dangerous, that a global syndicate planned the virus, or that COVID-19 is a hoax.[124][125] Facebook announced that it had labeled or deleted 179 million user posts containing COVID-19 misinformation during the first three quarters of 2020.[126] President Trump has repeatedly broadcast misinformation to downplay the threat of the virus and to deflect criticism of the administration's response.[127] Trump has asserted that he does this to "show calm", stating "I don't want to create a panic" [128]
Impacts
Economic
The pandemic, along with the resultant stock market crash and other impacts, led a recession in the United States following the economic cycle peak in February 2020.[129] The economy contracted 4.8 percent from January through March 2020,[130] and the unemployment rate rose to 14.7 percent in April.[131] The total healthcare costs of treating the epidemic could be anywhere from $34 billion to $251 billion according to analysis presented by The New York Times.[132] A study by economists Austan Goolsbee and Chad Syverson indicated that most economic impact due to consumer behavior changes was prior to mandated lockdowns.[133] During the second quarter of 2020, the U.S. economy suffered its largest drop on record, with GDP falling at an annualized rate of 32.9%. As of June 2020, the U.S. economy was over 10% smaller than it was in December 2019.[134]
In September, Bain & Company reported on the tumultuous changes in consumer behavior before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Potentially permanently, they found acceleration towards e-commerce, online primary healthcare, livestreamed gym workouts, and moviegoing via subscription television. Concurrent searches for both low-cost and premium products, and a shift to safety over sustainability, occurred alongside rescinded bans and taxes on single-use plastics, and losses of three to seven years of gains in out-of-home foodservice.[135] OpenTable estimated in May that 25% of American restaurants would close their doors permanently.[136]
The economic impact and mass unemployment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has raised fears of a mass eviction crisis,[137][138][139][140] with an analysis by the Aspen Institute indicating 30–40 million are at risk for eviction by the end of 2020.[141][142] According to a report by Yelp, about 60% of U.S. businesses that have closed since the start of the pandemic will stay shut permanently.[143]
Variable | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jobs, level (000s)[144] | 152,463 | 151,090 | 130,303 | 133,002 | 137,802 | 139,582 | 140,914 | 141,720 | 142,373 | 142,629 |
Jobs, monthly change (000s)[144] | 251 | −1,373 | −20,787 | 2,699 | 4,800 | 1,780 | 1,371 | 661 | 653 | 256 |
Unemployment rate %[145] | 3.5% | 4.4% | 14.7% | 13.3% | 11.1% | 10.2% | 8.4% | 7.9% | 6.9% | 6.7% |
Number unemployed (millions)[146] | 5.8 | 7.1 | 23.1 | 21.0 | 17.8 | 16.3 | 13.6 | 12.6 | 11.1 | 10.7 |
Employment to population ratio %, age 25-54[147] | 80.5% | 79.6% | 69.7% | 71.4% | 73.5% | 73.8% | 75.3% | 75.0% | 76.0% | 76.0% |
Inflation rate % (CPI-All)[148] | 2.3% | 1.5% | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.7% | 1.0% | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Stock market S&P 500 (avg. level)[149] | 3,277 | 2,652 | 2,762 | 2,920 | 3,105 | 3,230 | 3,392 | 3,380 | 3,270 | 3,694 |
Debt held by public ($ trillion)[150] | 17.4 | 17.7 | 19.1 | 19.9 | 20.5 | 20.6 | 20.8 | 21.0 | 21.2 | 21.3 |
Rural communities
In May, daily infection and death rates were still higher per capita in densely populated cities and suburbs, but were increasing faster in rural counties. Of the 25 counties with the highest per capita case rates in May, 20 had a meatpacking plant or prison where the virus was able to spread unchecked.[151] By July rural communities with populations less than 50,000 had some of the highest rates of new daily cases per capita. Factors contributing to the spread of COVID-19 in these communities are high rates of obesity[152][dubious – discuss], the relatively high numbers of elderly residents, immigrant laborers with shared living conditions and meat-processing plants.[153]
Social
The pandemic has had far-reaching consequences beyond the disease itself and efforts to contain it, including political, cultural, and social implications.
Disproportionate numbers of cases have been observed among Black and Latino populations,[25][26][27] and there were reported incidents of xenophobia and racism against Asian Americans.[28] Of four studies published in September, three found clear disparities due to race and the fourth found slightly better survival rates for Hispanics and Blacks.[154] As of September 15, Blacks had COVID-19 mortality rates more than twice as high as the rate for Whites and Asians, who have the lowest rates.[155] CNN reported in May that the Navajo Nation had the highest rate of infection in the United States.[156] Additionally, a study published by the New England Journal of Medicine in July revealed that the effect of stress and weathering on minority groups decreases their stamina against COVID.[157]
In September, NPR reviewed its previously reported data from the COVID Tracking Project[158] finding again that COVID-19 infected and killed people of color at higher rates than Whites and more than their share of the population. Blacks died 1.5 times and in some states 2.5 times their share of the population. Hispanics and Latinos died more often in 19 states, and were infected more frequently in 45 states. Native American and Alaskan Native deaths and cases were disproportionally high in 21 states and 5 times more in some states, with insufficient data in some states. White non-Hispanics died at a lower rate than their share of the population in 36 states and D.C.[159]
By April, closed schools affected more than 55 million students.[160]
Elections
The pandemic prompted calls from voting rights groups and some Democratic Party leaders to expand mail-in voting. Republican leaders generally opposed the change, though Republican governors in Nebraska and New Hampshire adopted it. Some states were unable to agree on changes, and a lawsuit in Texas resulted in a ruling (which is under appeal) that would allow any voter to mail in a ballot.[161] Responding to Democratic proposals for nation-wide mail-in voting as part of a coronavirus relief law, President Trump said "you'd never have a Republican elected in this country again" despite evidence the change would not favor any particular group.[162] Trump called mail-in voting "corrupt" and said voters should be required to show up in person, even though, as reporters pointed out, he had himself voted by mail in the last Florida primary.[163] Though mail-in vote fraud is slightly higher than in-person voter fraud, both instances are rare, and mail-in voting can be made more secure by disallowing third parties to collect ballots and providing free drop-off locations or prepaid postage.[164] April 7 elections in Wisconsin were impacted by the pandemic. Many polling locations were consolidated, resulting in hours-long lines. County clerks were overwhelmed by a shift from 20 to 30% mail-in ballots to about 70%, and some voters had problems receiving and returning ballots in time. Despite the problems, turnout was 34%, comparable to similar previous primaries.[165]
According to a study published in Science Advances, areas with higher levels of COVID-19 fatalities were less likely to support Trump and Republican candidates for Congress.[166]
Preparations made after previous outbreaks
The United States has been subjected to pandemics and epidemics throughout its history, including the 1918 Spanish flu, the 1957 Asian flu, and the 1968 Hong Kong flu pandemics.[167][168][169] In the most recent pandemic prior to COVID-19, the 2009 swine flu pandemic took the lives of more than 12,000 Americans and hospitalized another 270,000 over the course of approximately a year.[167]
According to the Global Health Security Index, an American-British assessment which ranks the health security capabilities in 195 countries, the U.S. in 2020 was the "most prepared" nation.[170][171]
Statistics
See also
- COVID Tracking Project
- COVID-19 pandemic by country and territory
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
- Misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Statistics of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- United States House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis
- United States influenza statistics by flu season
Notes
- ^ A lack of mass testing obscured the extent of the outbreak.[17]
- ^ The earliest deaths were not known to be caused by COVID-19 until April.
- ^ Examples of areas in which clusters have occurred include urban areas, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, group homes for the intellectually disabled,[29] detention centers (including prisons), meatpacking plants, churches, and navy ships.[30]
- ^ This chart only includes lab-confirmed cases and deaths. Not all states report recoveries. Data for the current day may be incomplete.
- ^ The editorial board for The Wall Street Journal suggested the world may have been "better prepared" had the PHEIC been declared a week sooner, when the virus had spread to other countries.[43]
- ^ In a news release, Sean Conley, physician to President Trump, incorrectly identified Regeneron's monoclonal antibody product as polyclonal.[85]
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External links
- CDC: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Our Data | The COVID Tracking Project, covidtracking.com—a tracker by a volunteer organization launched from The Atlantic
- Coronavirus U.S. Maps and Case Count by The New York Times
- Coverage of federal response to coronavirus pandemic by C-SPAN
- Coronavirus Resource Center, map, and historical data by Johns Hopkins University
- U.S. Social-Distancing Interactive Data Visualization, by county, by day, using location data from apps installed on phones, by Unacast, from Norway
- Rt COVID-19 real-time effective reproduction number estimates and history per state
- As states start to reopen, here's where people are going
- COVID-19 Facts (W.H.O.; August 2020).
- How the Virus Won – Interactive chart from The New York Times depicting the spread of the Coronavirus in the U.S. and the role of undetected outbreaks