New Covid cases are skyrocketing in the US but plummeting in some European countries, per the following Worldometer charts:
What’s going on here? All the above countries have been hit hard by Covid, especially as colder weather set in, but Spain, Belgium, the UK, France, and Italy are managing to turn things around. Why not the US? What did the European countries do differently? Well, for one thing, they took strong anti-Covid measures one or two months ago, measures that were quickly followed by a drop in new Covid cases. Let the BBC tell the story:
Coronavirus: Spain imposes partial lockdown on defiant Madrid/ BBC October 2, 2020 : “From this weekend, people can travel outside their home districts for essential journeys only. Bars and restaurants cannot serve after 22:00. And a maximum of six people are permitted to meet in any setting.”
Covid: Belgium announces return to national lockdown/BBC October 31, 2020: “Non-essential shops and businesses offering personal services like hair salons have been ordered to close from Monday until the middle of December. Any gatherings in public spaces must be limited to a maximum of four people. Supermarkets can only sell essential goods and households are allowed just one visitor. Autumn school holidays have also been extended until 15 November. The existing night-time curfew measures and closures of bars and restaurants will remain in place.”
Covid-19: PM announces four-week England lockdown/BBC October 31, 2020: “Pubs, restaurants, gyms and non-essential shops will have to close for four weeks from Thursday…But unlike the restrictions in spring, schools, colleges and universities can stay open. After 2 December, the restrictions would be eased and regions would go back to the tiered system, he said.”
Covid: France returns to lockdown amid new surge/BBC October 30, 2020: “Schools and workplaces remain open, but people need permits to leave home … exemptions are for essential shopping, trips for medical reasons or for getting to work. Home-working is urged wherever possible. People are also allowed to go out for exercise - for a maximum of an hour - in their local area. The fine for breaking the rules is €135. The French government has issued stricter hygiene rules for schools: they must keep class sizes small and masks are now required from the age of six.”
Coronavirus: Italy imposes regional lockdown as Europe battles surges/BBC November 6, 2020: “Italy is now split into three zones: red for high risk, then orange and yellow…In Italy's red zones, which cover an estimated 16.5 million people in a population of 60 million, you can now only leave home for work, health reasons, essential shopping or emergencies, but all non-essential shops are closed. Bars and restaurants are also shut but people can exercise near their homes if they wear masks and hairdressers can remain open.”
US states did nothing comparable when the much-anticipated autumn Covid surge began. And now we are harvesting the fruit of inaction*.
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* None of this is to argue for Draconian lockdowns. The lockdowns described above vary in strictness, yet all were followed by decline in new Covid cases. And in most of these countries, schools remained open.