USA vs. Coronavirus - why is a superpower on the losing side of a battle?

The USA is currently in the lead - and not in a good way. The country has the highest amount of infections in the world, with around 650,000 recorded infections and almost 35,000 deaths. Even whilst the country remains unparalleled in its economy and welfare system, the state has become the new epicenter of the outbreak, outpacing the likes of China and Italy.

Why did the situation in the country become so dire, and what can the government do to 'flatten the curve'? These are prominent questions that require answering, and this blog will hope to do so by examining the leadership and foreign policy of this country during a crisis.

Crumbling Leadership - The Blame Game

Many have questioned the capability of the Trump Administration in such a crisis, and many more have argued that Donald Trump has failed to provide unity and inspiration to the US population. Moreover, there has been a lack of accountability for the delayed response, and this has caused massive detriments such as the USA withdrawing funding to the WHO in the middle of a pandemic.

Trump's administration has also implemented questionable policies - most recently, Trump has refused to provide $1200 bailouts to American citizens, unless they has his name printed along with them. These policies have delayed growth in the socio-economic levels, as Trump is seems to be giving more consideration to economic growth and international institutions, rather than the welfare of civilians.

A Lack of Unity 

The lack of a figure or adequate leadership has caused all fifty states in the USA in act in an uncoordinated fashion. Many governors have failed to implement lockdowns and bans in a timely fashion, citing the lack of guidance from the White House Administration as the primary reason for so. Notably, states have had to auction and outbid each others for crucial ventilators, whilst the White House administration refuses to provide aid to certain states, or is unable to.

Even on a societal level, Americans are finding it harder to support each other, especially for those less fortunate. Lack of proper guidance from governors and White House Cabinet alike have been the reason.

Where was the preparation?

The WHO and China had first reported cases of the Coronavirus in January, and USA experienced its first wave of infections in March. The Federal and State governments failed to use the two months preceding the first outbreak efficiently - there was a notable lack of preparations in terms of preparing hospital equipment such as ventilators, procuring guidelines for civilians and corporations, and testing of the population.

As many analysts speculate, failing to prepare in the first two months has impacted the capability of the state to fend of the virus. However, the USA isn't the only one to blame. Organisations such as the World Health Organization have failed to provide technical assistance and enough forewarning to nations of the incoming pandemic, and this has been one of the primary reasons for the lack of global preparation.

Comparison to other countries: what was missing?

When we compare the USA with other countries who were affected at similar times and rates, such as South Korea, we can see how other nations were able to succeed, despite not hosting the advanced level of healthcare and the economy such as in the USA.

Namely, the primary distinction between such nations and the USA has been aggressive testing and contact tracing. Sotuh Korea was able to aggressively test and isolate individuals who were at risk of both transmitting and receiving the virus. USA has notably failed to achieve such high standards of testing, and this has led to the propagation of unawareness and the virus in the American population.

There are important things to learn from the Coronavirus infection in the USA - the importance of leadership in crises, and how to approach a pandemic. The case of USA has revealed, however, that neither of these factors are the most important - rather it is the active stance and sense of community upheld by citizens in the face of an ongoing crisis.