While the United States is experiencing its deadliest phase of the coronavirus pandemic to date, governors and local officials in hard-hit parts of the country are showing little willingness to impose new restrictions on companies to stem the spread.
And, unlike in 2020, when the quarantine debate often divided parties, now both Democrats and Republicans are voicing their opposition to forced closures and other measures.
Some have expressed fear that severe economic damage from the crisis will worsen. Others see little patience among the electorate to impose further restrictions 10 months after the start of the crisis.
And a few more seem to be more focused on vaccine distribution, something that would eventually end the threat.
The most notable change in tone was that of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, who imposed a strict quarantine last spring when the state became the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States.
“We simply cannot stay closed until the vaccine has reached critical mass. The costs are too high. We don’t have anything left to open, ”said Cuomo this week when it was confirmed that the number of infections in the state rose to an average of 16,000 per day and the number of deaths to about 170 per day.
Theaters will remain closed and you won’t be able to eat at restaurants in New York City, but Cuomo said on Tuesday that if a rapid testing system for the virus could be developed, it would allow those sectors to return more safely.
In Arizona, where the pandemic is wreaking havoc, Republican Governor Doug Ducey has adamantly opposed the mandatory use of a mask at the state level or the closure of bars, gyms, and restaurants, despite repeated requests from hospital officials to take such action .
“If we do all of this together, then we must understand that quarantine is not a nuisance to many families; it means catastrophe, ”said Ducey.
Governors in other hotspots, such as Texas, have expressed similar views, while other states are relaxing restrictions even as the death toll in the United States is close to 380,000 and the number of cases exceeds 22.7 million. The daily mean death rate nationally is above 3,200.
Minnesota has allowed people to eat in restaurants again this week, and Michigan will do the same on Friday. Nevada’s rules expire Friday.
Even in states with stricter measures, such as California, people ignore the rules.
On Monday, when Southern California’s intensive care units were packed with patients, people flocked to San Diego beaches to watch this week’s high surf, many less than six feet away. between them and without masks.
Other Americans have also ignored the rules. Tourists from the United States spent Christmas and New Years on the Caribbean coast of Mexico, while thousands of University of Alabama football fans filled bars Monday night to celebrate the national championship.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 9.3 million Americans have received the first dose of the vaccine, a slow release for a campaign likely to inoculate 85% of the population, or nearly 300 million people, to get the virus defeat.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump’s administration announced plans to speed up vaccination by distributing nearly double the number of vaccines, rather than keeping large amounts in reserve to ensure people get the second dose on time.
The practice of dose storage was due to fears of production delays, but officials say they are now confident there will be supplies.