After forging a destructive path through Asia and Europe, COVID-19 has taken hold in the US: the country’s transmission numbers have rapidly outstripped previous hotspots like China, Italy and Spain. And despite some isolated glimmers of hope, few people believe that the disease can quickly be brought under control.
The exponential growth in the number of cases and deaths in cities like New York, Detroit and New Orleans, has the health system struggling to cope.
Meanwhile critics of the US government’s approach bemoan a lackadaisical approach to testing, and to enforcing social distancing measures to control the disease’s spread.
That’s on top of a shortage of intensive care beds, of critical medical equipment like ventilators, and of basic protective gear like face masks and gloves.
Kim was joined by The Washington Post's health policy reporter Amy Goldstein to discuss the immediate and long-term effects of the virus Stateside.
Washington Post staff writer Amy Goldstein Photo: The Washington Post
