While the United States has had new daily records of COVID-19 cases, other countries have become increasingly more effective at tracking cases and testing millions.

For instance, take Slovakia’s incredible feat of testing two-thirds of their country, or 3.6 million people, in just two days. The country also “plans to test every single adult and child older than 10 over the next two weeks in an attempt to stem soaring cases,” said The Wall Street Journal.

In China, the entire population in the city of Qingdao—7 million people—was tested after just 12 cases were reported. Another area in China called Kashgar has a population of about 4.7 million people. The first case there was detected in a 17-year-old girl whose parents worked at a factory that the virus was later traced to. Unlike the U.S., government officials were flown in to monitor testing after that one case was detected. The outbreak in Kashgar was first reported on a Saturday, and within the day, the city was put under lockdown. 

“2.8 million residents had been tested by Sunday afternoon. By Monday evening, 4.5 million had been tested… Photos and video circulating Monday on Weibo showed people lined up on Kashgar’s streets, waiting to be tested at pop-up booths staffed by medical workers in white hazmat suits. Kashgar schools have suspended classes through Friday. A number of flights in and out of the area were canceled Monday,” reported The Washington Post.

However, the Trump administration in the United States has taken very little action compared to these countries and have left most of the decision making to individual state governments in terms of controlling the pandemic. Some states, like Vermont, have been quite strict while others, such as the Dakotas, have been quite loose about it and have not even required masks.

Hopefully, the Biden administration will fulfill its plans to take hold of the pandemic before it gets to a completely unmanageable state. The campaign has promised to set a task force to handle the pandemic.

“A decisive public health response that ensures the wide availability of free testing; the elimination of all cost barriers to preventive care and treatment for COVID-19; the development of a vaccine; and the full deployment and operation of necessary supplies, personnel, and facilities,” said the campaign’s website. 

Will the new administration be able to do it?

Photo courtesy of JONESDAY.COM