America First (Soon)? Not Impossible

In the coming hours, the United States is going to overtake France in the grim coronavirus ranking. And they will continue to climb in this ranking, even though they should have learned lessons from Europe.

Although it isn’t the most closely monitored indicator, often overlooked in favor of unedited numbers of infections and deaths, the coronavirus death rate as a proportion of each country’s population is certainly a pertinent (perhaps crude) criterion to assess the successes or failures of its fight against the pandemic. Well, unfortunately, the United States is set to overtake France in this grim ranking. If the curve doesn’t flatten, it will continue to move up the rankings at great speed.

According to the Johns Hopkins University website, the United States’ current “score” (44.11 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants) is barely below that of our country (45.06). It can only increase, because yesterday the number of daily deaths rose for the third consecutive day to more than 1,000, and this is the result of infections from three or four weeks ago. However, there are currently still more than 2,600 infections per hour across the Atlantic, a rate unparalleled in the world, reports Agence France-Presse.

Lower Density

French commentators have often wondered why the United States has been singled out for weeks when France has been less well placed in the rankings so far. They are forgetting three things. First, it is logical that contagion is greater in a country like France which is three times denser. Second, the U.S. government had two additional months to prepare the country, and medical care has improved. Third, the virus seems less dangerous.

The lessons from this graph are somewhat interesting.* With a virus that is probably less virulent, the United States still has a number of seriously ill patients and a high death rate, which means that a significant part of its population suffers from various morbidities or has difficulty accessing the best care available – for financial reasons. In France, hardly anyone is deprived of the best the country can offer and usually at little to no cost.

The First Electoral Virus?

The United States will also perhaps be the first country in the world where the pandemic and its nearly 150,000 deaths cause an electoral shift. Until Nov. 4, the subject will obviously remain central to American political life. Donald Trump continues to downplay the danger, while supporting, under pressure to do so, the wearing of masks, as shown in this video*, and diverting attention by toughening his stance on China. Trump’s opponent Joe Biden, for his part, has effectively criticized the current president’s track record on the virus, with the strong support of Barack Obama.

Perhaps one day what is happening elsewhere will make the French acknowledge that the pandemic has ultimately not been so poorly managed. But that is probably a lot to ask for in a country where it is first nature, not second nature, to criticize public and private authorities, whoever they may be.

*Editor’s note: Please see graph provided in original French article, which could not be reproduced in English here. The link to the video referenced here also appears in the original French article.