On June 16, just one month ago today, Vice President Mike Pence wrote an Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal claiming that there was no second wave of the coronavirus and that panic around rising cases was overblown.
- Pence: “Panic Is Overblown.” Pence wrote: “In recent days, the media has taken to sounding the alarm bells over a ‘second wave’ of coronavirus infections. Such panic is overblown. Thanks to the leadership of President Trump and the courage and compassion of the American people, our public health system is far stronger than it was four months ago, and we are winning the fight against the invisible enemy.” [Wall Street Journal, 6/16/20]
But in reality, the threat of the virus was very real then and has only gotten worse, as cases, hospitalizations and deaths rise in states across the country.
- On July 15th, The United States Reported A Record Number Of New Coronavirus Cases With 67,417 Infections, More Than Triple The Number From A Month Ago. [CNBC, 7/15/20]
- The Atlantic: “The Seven-Day Average For Deaths Per Day Has Now Jumped By More Than 200 Since July 6.” [The Atlantic, 7/15/20]
- Thirty-Seven States Have Seen Caseloads Rise Over The Past Week, While Only Two Have Seen Meaningful Improvement In Containing The Virus. [Axios, 7/16/20]
- Counties In Arizona, Alabama, And Texas Are Using Refrigerated Trucks and Trailers To Accommodate The Uptick In Deaths. [Washington Post, 7/14/20]
[Axios, 7/16/20]
Pence also declared victory on testing, and suggested the US adequately expanded supplies of personal protective equipment.
- Pence: “We’ve Expanded Testing Across The Board.” Pence wrote: “We’ve expanded testing across the board. At the end of February, between Centers for Disease Control and Prevention labs and state public health facilities, the U.S. had performed only about 8,000 coronavirus tests. As of this week, we are performing roughly 500,000 tests a day, and more than 23 million tests have been performed in total.” [Wall Street Journal, 6/16/20]
- Pence: We’ve “Vastly Expanded” Supplies Of Medical Equipment. “We’ve also vastly expanded our supplies of crucial medical equipment… We’ve increased the supply of personal protective equipment by the billions.” [Wall Street Journal, 6/16/20]
But nationwide, states are struggling to test Americans and supplies are running short.
- In Arizona, People Have Been Waiting Eight Hours Or More In 100-Degree Temperatures To Get Tested. [Arizona Republic, 7/3/20]
- Since The Op-Ed Several Health Care Organizations Have Warned Of A Persistent Lack Of Supplies. “The National Center for Assisted Living, an industry group, found in a survey of its members in June that more than half of the assisted living facilities had less than two-week supplies of specific protective equipment. David Voepel, the CEO of the Arizona Health Care Association, which represents skilled-nursing facilities and assisted living communities, told CNN that many assisted living facilities in his state have faced challenges because, in contrast to hospital networks and skilled-nursing facilities, they did not have contracts or established lines of communication with distributors prior to the pandemic.
- David Voepel, CEO Of The Arizona Health Care Association: “Assisted Living Communities Won’t Get [PPE] As Much.” “’The problem is hospitals suck up more of that PPE and the bigger contracts will get the PPE, whereas assisted living communities won’t get it as much,’ Voepel said, noting that many assisted living communities are still forced to reuse personal protective equipment. Nurses are finding themselves in a similar position, despite comments from the administration that hospital capacity remains strong and states have all they need in terms of supplies.” [CNN, 7/14/20]
And Pence claimed that the Trump administration’s response has been a success.
- Pence: “Our Whole-Of-America Approach Has Been A Success.” “The media has tried to scare the American people every step of the way, and these grim predictions of a second wave are no different. The truth is, whatever the media says, our whole-of-America approach has been a success. We’ve slowed the spread, we’ve cared for the most vulnerable, we’ve saved lives, and we’ve created a solid foundation for whatever challenges we may face in the future. That’s a cause for celebration, not the media’s fear mongering.” [Wall Street Journal, 6/16/20]
But experts warn that the outbreak has never been worse and that there are darker days ahead.