Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, first Africa-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet
Killer pandemic, 750,000 Americans killed by COVID, so far. By Chido Nwangwu
The devastation of the coronavirus — specifically COVID-19 — on American families continues to escalate. The Washington Post reported on November 3, 2021 that the number of people killed by the virus in the United States “reached another haunting milestone: 750,000 Americans….”
This is “according to Johns Hopkins University’s running tally of covid deaths, the losses have reached a level that can be compared to entire states: If the Americans who’ve died of covid made up a state, it would rank 47th in the country, more populous than Alaska, Vermont or Wyoming. The District of Columbia — though not a state, it surpasses Vermont and Wyoming in population — also would be eclipsed.”
The Post reporters (Marc Fisher, Lori Rozsa and Kayla Ruble) note that “In the first year and a half of the pandemic, a common way to try to fathom the loss was to compare the nation’s death toll to the living population of increasingly larger cities: Kenosha, Wisconsin, at 100,000 deaths, Salt Lake City at 200,000, St. Louis at 300,000, Atlanta at 500,000.”
Most of the COVID-19 deaths came, largely, through infections and/or refusal to follow the pandemic protocols and necessary changes in life style.
The complications and challenges which the U.S., Africa and other parts of the world continue to face are rooted in what is called “denialism”.
This is the denial of basic, fundamental facts of science especially the evident value of simply wearing masks and taking vaccinations.
It is very dangerous when the sources of disinformation, anti-science, anti-factual evidence, anti-reason and against common sense are some of the political leaders and heads of religious organizations.
Unfortunately, here in United States, the impeached, former President Donald J. Trump, during significant and critical periods of his presidency serve(d) as the giddy cheerleader and champion of misleading messaging and mortally dangerous actions such as his appearances at public events in stadiums and other venues without wearing any mask!
It is important to note that those hideous actions actually had severe consequences!
Remarkably, one of those who didn’t speak up when it mattered most has, recently, made a revelation.
Trump’s former adviser on the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Deborah Birx, informed a closed-door meeting of the House Select Coronavirus Subcommittee on October 12 and 13, 2021 that more than 130,000 American lives could have been saved if the Trump administration promoted mask-wearing and social distancing protocols, especially soon after the pandemic was known.
Dr. Birx is quoted in testimony excerpts released by the committee:
“I believe if we had fully implemented the mask mandates, the reduction in indoor dining, the getting friends and family to understand the risk of gathering in private homes, and we had increased testing, that we probably could have decreased fatalities into the 30 percent less to 40 percent less range.”
Unfortunately, many people including his supporters have lost family members and friends by listening to and going along with his toxic and false pretenses. Interestingly, while he was saying absurd, baseless and toxic falsehoods about vaccines and drumming up his bizarre prescription of ingesting/consuming bleach and some stuff….
Thankfully, we survived the intoxicated Trumpian gods of petty, little things; his tumultous presidency of True Lies!
Trump misled millions, including the African-American multimillionaire Herman Cain, to their untimely and needless, fatal struggle with coronavirus!
I am vaccinated against the pandemic of COVID-19. Anyway, we’re all only, Relatively, safe in God’s own country! But the callous deceit and schemes to become the Republican candidate for the presidency of the United States again in 2023 is in top gear! Without any doubt, President Joe Biden is working very hard to provide effective solution to the pandemic. Somehow, the Biden approach to handling politics and defining critical events are not as effective as Donald Trump’s ways and means!
Sadly, some clergymen across Africa, particularly Nigerian pastors such as Chris Oyakhilome (the founder and president of LoveWorld Inc., also known as Christ Embassy), joined the Trump academy of anti-
science and all….
Thankfully, on the other hand, there are some African countries and communities that joined the fight against coronavirus. In stepping up its fight against the coronavirus, the government of the east African country of Kenya will require its citizens traveling out of the country from 2022 to have a vaccine passport. —- Dr. Nwangwu serves as Founder & Publisher of USAfrica magazine and USAfricaonline.com, first Africa-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet. Chido is the first continental African to be admitted to the 100 Black Men of America. He is the author of the 2022 book, MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity. Twitter @Chido247
