Why Is The US Taking Longer To Recover From The Pandemic Than Other Countries?

     There are many factors that come in to play when answering the question, "why is the US taking longer to recover from the pandemic than other countries?" One of the possibilities is the way our government has handled the crisis. President Trump admitted to downplaying the severity of the pandemic and heckled those politicians who wore masks. This caused social distancing rules to be mandated late, as well as leading some Americans to think masks were unnecessary and refuse to wear them which has contributed to the spread. Other countries who took the pandemic more seriously early on such as the Germany, New Zealand, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, and Taiwan are doing well now. Another thing that these countries have in common, is that they are all lead by women, which may also be a contributing factor. An article that we read for our Geo class said that many women got to the position they are in by listening to others opinions and not letting their ego get in the way. They also place a large emphasis on science and health, making that a first priority for them. These women have also taken the safe route instead of making risker decisions such as opening up the country or relaxing covid regulations before the country is ready. While this may not be the only reason for these countries success, it is definitely something to account for. Another possibility could be prideful Americans refusing to wear masks because they are "exercising their rights." Americans have been known for being rebellious and fighting for what they believe in. But in this case, its making things worse. Scientists say that wearing a mask will help prevent the spread of Covid, and many Americans simply refuse to do that. Because of the nature of this virus, the fast spread and asymptomatic carriers, this virus has been especially hard to contain. Until people following regulations or there is a vaccine, the virus will continue to spread. Even a vaccine may be contraversial. According to a CNN poll conducted by SSRS only about half of Americans said they would try the vaccine when it came out, and that number seems to have dropped since May. In addition to the already existing distrust of the medical system, many are also worried about the legitimacy of the vaccine because it was rushed. These factors along with others, all contribute to why the US is doing worse than other countries during this pandemic.