If The Pandemic Was A War, It Would Be The 3rd Most Deadly In US History.

As of today, Covid-19 has claimed the lives of more than 200,000 Americans. To put that number into perspective, it exceeds the number of deaths of any other nation on Earth. It’s nearly 70 times the number who died as a result of the terrorist attacks on 9/11 (2,977). It’s nearly 4 times the number of Americans who died during the Vietnam War (58,209). It’s double the number of Americans (116,516) who died in WWI. It’s nearly equal to the number of Americans who died during combat in the Civil War (214,938). And it’s nearly half the number of Americans who died in WWII (405,399).

Lest you think that the disease only affects the elderly – that you are somehow immune to it – think again. Thus far, Covid-19 has claimed the lives of more than 1,000 health care providers. And, so far this year, more police officers have died from Covid-19 than from violence. The victims have ranged in age from infants to the elderly and every age in between.

Moreover, all of these deaths from Covid-19 have occurred in just 7 months. And most scientists predict that, with the onset of Autumn and Winter, the number of deaths will almost certainly accelerate even if a vaccine is made available before the end of the year. That’s because the vaccine will likely require two doses and it will take many months to deliver them beginning with those most at risk. And a large percentage of Americans say they will refuse to take the vaccine.

Adding to the problem is that Trump has not only failed to effectively respond to the pandemic. He has politicized mitigation of the virus. He refuses to encourage Americans to wear masks – the one thing that has been proven to reduce infections. As a result, Trump’s followers refuse to wear masks. They have even violently attacked those who have asked them to put on a mask before entering their businesses.

Just the other day, two unmasked Trump followers were refused entry to a restaurant in my former hometown. Rather than put on masks, they later returned to the establishment and pepper-sprayed the entire outdoor seating area requiring several customers to seek medical attention.

That should come as no surprise, since Trump has implied that the coronavirus is a Democrat hoax – that Democrats are either misreporting the deaths or, in fact, causing them. He has not only divided the nation. He has incited violence among his heavily armed and racist followers who have acted against peaceful protestors and against governors who have mandated the wearing of masks in public places.

So, thanks to the knuckle draggers who support the most corrupt, most cruel, and most incompetent president in our nation’s history, the deaths will continue to rise.