The Covid-19 pandemic prompted a whirlwind of unprecedented government edicts aimed at defeating a new contagious disease. Despite these mandates and the quickly developed Covid vaccines, more than two years later, the virus remains a threat to the vulnerable, and the country now appears resigned to “living with Covid” rather than continuing the costly war against it. It seems clear that the political response to the virus failed, and it’s worth reflecting on why and how, lest the same mistakes get repeated in the next pandemic.
In March 2020, as the threat of Covid started to become clear, American government officials sprung into action. By the beginning of April, most states had issued stay-at-home and lockdown orders, outlawing significant portions of people’s normal social lives. Schools were shuttered, so-called nonessential businesses were forced to close, medical treatments were restricted, and public spaces were shut.
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