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COVID-19 Won’t Go Away Soon, and Partisan Politics is the Culprit
Based on the results of the lockdown imposed across the country in March, it would appear that they are one of the more effective options to slow the spread of the virus. And naturally, once we lifted them, cases, and deaths, began to rise again. Now that we see the response to this uptick in cases is politically driven, its hard to see how another nearly nationwide lockdown is possible.
The effectiveness of lockdowns could be seen in other countries. In New Zealand, a country with roughly the same population as Alabama, lockdowns began early. They also implemented a tracking and tracing program, and restrictions on travel that only an island country is capable of. Their lockdowns were strict, and their reopening slow and gradual, but the country now has no cases and nearly all restrictions have been lifted. This was due to the additional measures, and the fact that the government response was consistent and not politically influenced.
If only that were the case here.
Texas, where I live, was one of the earliest states to reopen. The state government is controlled by Republicans, and the vocalist members of its base believed lockdowns and mask wearing were example of impending socialism, and tools the Democrats were using to undermine the economy, and the president. This was a view…
