Containing coronavirus in the USA
Coronavirus, which is officially known as COVID-19, is one of the many types of coronaviruses in the family. The virus, just like the other viruses, comes from animals, especially sea animals. The virus, which is among the most deadly and feared viruses in the world, is believed to have originated from China and is currently causing international tension. The virus infection causes coughs, breathing difficulties and fever, symptoms which are similar to other common diseases. In some extreme cases, the victim of the virus may experience organ failure. The difference between this type of ‘pneumonia’ is that the common antibiotics are of no help in combating the deadly virus. The ability to recover highly depends on the strength of the person’s immune system since most of those who succumbed as a result of its infection were already in poor health. This paper will analyze the current situation of the COVID-19 infection in the US and how it can influence the forthcoming presidential elections against the incumbent president, Donald Trump.
The security of the Americans is very vital, especially against an international pandemic which threatens to clear a big section of the world’s population if uncontrolled. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that its citizens are safe against any form of threat. The deaths so far caused by the COVID-19 virus has reached 3000 people in China, with several cases reported in the United States of America. The infected population in the world has risen to 100,000, claiming many lives in other countries apart from China where it originated. California has recorded the first death in the country, and having the largest number of the already infected and recuperating patients of the virus. In the eve of the New Year, 2020, Trump in solidarity with the international community, stood with China in the fight against the deadly virus. As the deaths ran high in China, Donald Trump was on the peak, claiming how the United States of America was secured and ready to deal with the outbreak.
Trump has been under fire for several issues surrounding the coronavirus outbreak, taking some options which may favour him or influence the forthcoming elections negatively. Trump’s administration has come out to complain to the media that it is highly focusing on the coronavirus case with a manipulative aim of denting the president’s image as elections approach. Mick Mulvaney, the acting head of staff in Trump’s administration, claimed that the media chose to focus on the case, not because it was a weighty issue, but to use it against Trump in the forthcoming elections.
The president has also maintained that the issue of coronavirus is under control in the United States of America, and no more victims of the infection will lose their lives. He has been claiming to be working with other nations in controlling the spread of the viral infection. Through a litany of tweets, the president has been showing how committed he is in fighting the virus. He introduced travel advisories to Americans heading to China as well as barring direct flights from mainland China. The president has also been considering closing the southern border with Mexico.
President Donald Trump comforted the citizens by stating that the virus would fade away at the end of the spring and the beginning of the summer season. He said that when the temperatures rise, the virus will miraculously “go away” and the American nation will be freed from the pandemic. Despite the fact that he offered no medical or scientific explanation behind his statement, the president stressed on being optimistic that the virus “fears” high temperatures and thus will walk away as soon as the temperatures begin to rise.
Trump’s administration has signed an $8.3 billion budget as an emergency spending bill to increase the country’s quick response against the coronavirus. The finances are aimed to fund the state, institutions and officials in combating the spread of the virus, which is highly growing in the United States of America. $3 billion is projected to be used for test kits, research and for the development of vaccines, and medical treatments. $2.2 billion is aimed to be used in advancing public health activities in preparedness, prevention and response to the cases which may arise from the spread of the COVID-19. The government aims at spending $1.25 billion to support international efforts in controlling the virus. Through this well-organized budget, the government is assured of its ability to win against the virus.
Despite Trump’s activeness in controlling the coronavirus infection, the president has been facing serious criticisms which in a greater way, can affect his presidential campaigns for a second term. The critics have said that the president has been arguing away from the scientific and research facts, turning out to be like a joker on a serious matter. The president kept on saying that the Americans are safe from the coronavirus before it rushed into the top country and started eating its people. The president sounded sure that he had taken all measures in protecting the citizens against the epidemic, but the professionals contradicted his statements. The head of the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Robert Redfield had warned the government that the virus outbreak was not in control at all despite the president’s assurance to the citizens. The president keeps on insisting that the situation is under control despite people dying and multiples being infected with the virus, going to the extent of denying WHO tallies on the virus infections. He is losing against the professionals who are working with scientific researches and explanations, hence losing the trust of the people.
Critics to the president over the coronavirus case have cited his plan to close the borders as a primitive method of controlling the disastrous virus. Trump has considered closing the southern border with Mexico, and agenda which the critics are linking with Trump’s anti-immigration policies and not the coronavirus control mission. The critics have argued that the country should deal with the identified cases of infection internally, without interfering with the borders since by closing the gates, Americans will be starved. According to some doctors, border closure doesn’t control the spread of diseases since people always find their ways into the territories apart from the guarded entry gates. Aurelien Pkezou, a WHO doctor in Rwanda, says that “People are always going to find a way to cross…”
The president is being faulted for having taken too long to respond to the epidemic despite the fact that it erupted in the year 2019. The president, in January 2020, came up with a task force which has taken months to come up with resolutions to the pandemic. The government has started to react while it is too late, the virus has already entered the country, and many are now infected and dead. The critics faulted the president for being slow to take action while the virus was just being reported in China. The country had no screening devices, isolated destinations for infected patients and general unpreparedness.
In my opinion, this is a huge test for Trump’s administration and may negatively affect him in the forthcoming presidential election. The president has been so much on twitter, doing public relations than doing the actual job of protecting the Americans. He has been claiming to be ready to fight and control the epidemic while in reality, people are dying and being infected with the virus from different states of the country. Lying against the truth is putting the trust of the electorates under a very big test. The president, by arguing that WHO is giving the wrong information on those infected shows that he is interested in popularity stunts and not taking responsibility and controlling the situation.
The government should have joined hands with the international community in researching and identifying the control measures before the disease entered the country. This laxity of Trump’s government has led to deaths and severe infections across the country. Despite the case being reported to the international media, the government of the United States should have acted immediately to have the screening devices, quarantine hospitals, information on prevention awareness and research on the probable vaccine. This failure is possible to affect Trump’s re-election since the American society may label him as a “failure” who is unable to assure the Americans of their security and protection against pandemics.
Trump is right to close the doors of the country. Coronavirus infection may take days to show the symptoms, and thus, a general screening may not give a complete assurance of the absence of the virus. By closing the borders, the country can contain the few infections within the borders without welcoming more victims while the vaccine is not yet found. The country should not risk losing its population just because of pitying outsiders who may be ferrying the virus. Complete closure of the borders should be done to ensure that there are no more victims of the virus due to immigrants.
In conclusion, the coronavirus epidemic will place Donald Trump on a negative side on his re-election race. He has appeared to joke around the matter while the world is in tension over the same matter. He keeps on attacking the experts instead of joining hands with them to get the solution hence losing the trust of the Americans. His late action against the virus has shown his laxity on matters concerning the security of the Americans, and therefore he will face a great challenge over the same.