Editorial from The Columbian, Vancouver, Washington
It has been three years since a previously unknown virus upended lives and spurred divisions in American society. It has been a long three years.
But while debates about COVID and preventive measures continue today, this is not the time to rehash those arguments. Instead, it is instructive to examine what we have learned during the past three years.
One is that COVID is still with us — and likely will be forever. New COVID cases and more deaths are getting recorded. That is despite the fact that most infections go unreported these days, with many people opting to use at-home testing and isolation rather than visiting a medical facility.
The vast majority of deaths have been people age 65 and older.
From the outset, states with the lowest COVID infection and mortality rates were ones that acted quickly to combat infection rates and had someone in charge who could respond quickly to an emergency.
Unilateral powers vested in a governor for declaring and renewing emergency orders are important when an emergency arises; somebody needs to be in charge, especially when a situation is in flux.
Protests against those emergency powers varied in intensity from state to state along a spectrum ranging from muted concern to vociferous outrage. Politics quickly became COVID-19’s bedfellow.
Vaccine opponents harnessed their views and values to the vaccine debate. They loudly shouted for government powers to be limited in relation to COVID social distancing.
Some praised while others declaimed the effectiveness and safety of vaccines, including ones rolled out as part of Operation Warp Speed — launched under legislation signed by President Donald Trump — to quickly develop vaccines that have prevented countless deaths and allow Americans to regain some semblance of normalcy in their daily lives.
Contrary to unfounded claims, COVID vaccines have not led to widespread side effects. Nor do they contain microchips as the most hysterical opponents claim.
More than 1 million American deaths have been blamed on COVID. That is a tragedy that reflects the unimaginable scope of the disease. To properly honor those deaths, Americans must learn the appropriate lessons the pandemic has provided for us.
