Today, the United States topped 25 million COVID-19 cases. According to Johns Hopkins University, there have been 25,098,475 COVID-19 cases resulting in 418,673 deaths. This represents a mortality rate of 1.7%.
Among the many COVID challenges facing the Biden Administration is slowing its spread. This might be an even bigger challenge than immunizing 100 million Americans in 100 days. This country has recorded at least 100,000 new cases a day since November 4, 2020 - the day after the election. Not long after the daily total would exceed 200,000. Because of this the U.S. has been consistently recording 1 million new cases every 4-6 days.
While I believe President Biden is right to ask Americans to wear a mask for the next 100 days I wonder how many people who aren't already wearing masks now will suddenly decided to do an about face.
According to Biden's National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness, 35 states plus D.C. and Puerto Rico have mask mandates. Georgia is not among them. Most of the masks ordinances here have been implemented by cities and counties requiring mask wearing in indoor public places. Last July, Georgia's GOP Governor Brian Kemp sued Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms for implementing a mask ordinance before relenting and withdrawing the suit nearly a month later. For all of Biden's charm I don't see him being able to persuade Kemp to implement a statewide mask mandate.
I know that mask mandates aren't the only means outlined in attempting to mitigating the spread of COVID-19. There is also expanding testing, developing therapeutics and expanding the public health sector. But any measure Biden advocates is going to require compliance by a portion of the country which not only doesn't believe he was legitimately elected but questions the very existence of COVID-19. This is a very tall order.
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