By now, COVID-19 has crossed the concern of every man, woman, and child.
The potentially fatal disease, as of recently, has attributed to over 5,000 deaths globally; it has called for the disbanding of gatherings in various communities, and it has urged people across the world to wash their hands — religiously.
As the latest news stories surrounding the notorious novel coronavirus continue to hit mainstream media, people are taking further precautions to ensure that they do not become exposed to the disease.
“My mom came home from work and she bought a bunch of empty containers, two bottles of Dial soap, and rubbing alcohol,” said Jeslyne Poveda, a junior at Miami Lakes Educational Center (MLEC). “She put the soap and alcohol into the containers and gave them to my whole family to be extra cautious since the coronavirus got into Florida,” she continued.
Though citizens and local governments are taking preventative measures to keep households, communities, and public schools disinfected, the concern for public health programs has not been one in which the federal government—more specifically the president— has prioritized.
Under the Trump administration, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been at risk due to proposed bills that seek to cut funding from the national public health institution — Congress has enacted none; moreover, the president, given his current disposition, does not seem to be concerned.
“We can get money and we can increase staff,” Trump said at his first press conference on the novel coronavirus, which he initially called “fake news,” last week. “We know all the good people. It’s a question I asked the doctors before,” he continued.
Trump’s vague and unelaborated remarks serve as no solution to the pandemic, and it does not seem as if he seeks to find one either.
In May 2018, the National Security Council’s office of Global Health Security and Biodefense was dissolved by former National Security Advisor John Bolton.
It was never restored.
In recent months, the threat of the president also cutting funding for the World Health Organization and the Pan Health American Organization has also been prominent. Ideally, there is a growing pattern for when it comes to the lack of interest for public health organizations.
And yes, though 8.3 billion dollars have been allocated to deal with the threat of the coronavirus, precautionary measures, as far back as 2018, could have been established in order to have been better prepared for any form of pandemic.
Health — amongst all things — should be any leader’s number one priority, and though the CDC is not in the worst of circumstances due to the actions of Congress, it is important that the American people remain vigilant because our leader isn’t.
