The recent spike in coronavirus cases has revived some of the fierce debates that fueled national and local politics during the first two and a half years of the pandemic.
While hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 are much lower than during the Delta and Omikron waves, the spike is large enough to put the coronavirus back in the news. That has inevitably led to a whole new round of heated debates about masks, vaccines and lockdowns.
Those debates suggest that there are still bitter feelings across the political spectrum, even if the pandemic is technically “over.” On the left, many believe restrictions like mask mandates were lifted too soon. On the right, schools remained closed for too long and other restrictions proved ineffective.
While some schools have temporarily closed to in-person learning and some institutions have resumed requiring people to wear masks, there is little chance that elected or public health officials will reimpose sweeping restrictions.
That hasn’t stopped politicians from using some of their favorite arguments and attacks regarding the pandemic.
Read more on Yahoo News: New COVID variant ‘Pirola’ causes rise in cases in US, Canadavia the Independent
COVID is back in the White House
Earlier this month, the White House announced that First Lady Jill Biden had tested positive for COVID-19. President Biden, who had spent the weekend with her in Delaware, tested negative — and remained so.
Biden also flouted the mask-wearing rules the White House said he would abide by. At a midweek event at the White House, he made a point of wearing a mask without actually wearing one. “They keep telling me I have to keep wearing it because this has to last 10 days or so. But don’t tell them I didn’t have it on when I came in,” the president joked.
From the start, his administration projected competence and expertise when it came to the pandemic. But the president himself is well aware that many Americans are already out of the pandemic. He also knows that his conservative opponents want to paint him as an advocate of the most burdensome public health measures: “Be Prepared: Biden Prepares for New Round of COVID-19 Lockdowns,” read a misleading headline in the Washington Examiner recently.
Last week the publication of The Last Politician: Inside Joe Biden’s White House and the Fight for America’s Future by Atlantic writer Franklin Foer. Foer describes Biden as siding with cautious teachers unions in reopening schools, which many say should have happened long ago.
Read more on Yahoo News: Inside Biden’s White House: 5 Lessons From Franklin Foer’s New Book, ‘The Last Politician’
Trump, DeSantis renegotiate 2020
Gov. Ron DeSantis first made a splash when he let the coronavirus go. He was skeptical of lockdowns and pushed to reopen schools in the fall of 2020, while many Democratic governors refused to do the same. He later took a tougher stance on masks and vaccines, making him even more popular with conservatives. His handling of the pandemic helped him win a landslide in last year’s midterm elections.
Trump’s handling of the pandemic was less hands-off than erratic, best symbolized by his infamous advice to inject bleach (which people shouldn’t do for whatever reason). First he urged caution, then he embraced controversial scientists who advocated a “let it go” approach. Some believe his pandemic response cost him the 2020 election.
DeSantis has used the recent mini-wave to revive the pandemic-era stances that made him so prominent in the first place. A recent fundraising message declared that “WE WILL NOT COMPLY” with the new coronavirus restrictions, which have been implemented in only a few jurisdictions across the country. The flagging DeSantis campaign is also selling “This is a Mask-Free House” lawn signs.
The rollout of a new coronavirus booster this week also gave DeSantis a chance to remind voters that he opposes vaccines.
Trump, in turn, has attacked DeSantis for misrepresenting his positions. “Lockdown Ron should look in the mirror and ask himself why he’s trying to manipulate voters,” a Trump campaign spokesman told the New York Times.
Read more on Yahoo News: Why Ron DeSantis Can’t Stop Talking About COVID
Will voters be influenced?
Probably not.
The current wave will likely subside in the coming weeks.
The future will undoubtedly bring new waves, but if the Omikron subvariants continue on their current evolutionary path, they are unlikely to cause serious illness or death.
With each wave, new political divisions can emerge, especially as the presidential election approaches. But it’s not clear whether those disagreements can sustain public attention for long: According to a recent Yahoo News/YouGov poll, only 7% of Americans are “very concerned” about COVID-19.
Read more on Yahoo Finance: US approval of fall boosters comes amid surge in COVID-19 cases
