While the president publicly downplayed the need for masks, White House officials were privately recommending that certain states with worsening outbreaks require face coverings in public spaces. But records show that at least 26 states ignored recommendations from the White House on masks and other health issues. Without a national strategy from the White House, it is unlikely that any state could have fully stopped the pandemic’s spread. America now makes up 4 percent of the world’s population but accounts for about 20 percent of global deaths. The United States failed to create a vast testing and contact tracing network in January and February, which could have identified the earliest cases and perhaps held back the crisis.

Source: New York Times January 17, 2021 21:45 UTC