Contrary to the Americas, Far Eastern countries like Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia have just a few people who are still sick with COVID-19 and in Europe the numbers of new cases are shrinking as well. Below you can see the charts of Italy, Spain, Germany & Austria.
( source )
Even UK & Russia, which are still corona hot spots, report falling numbers of new cases (charts below)
( source )
Unfortunately in the US the numbers are exploding, especially in the southern states, like Florida, Texas, Arizona & California
( source )
The situation is similar in Brazil (chart below)
What causes the differences? I think there are two main explanations. First the authorities in Asia and in Europe enforced the lockdowns earlier than the Americans. The relatively quick response helped to brake the infection chains - at least most of them. And they are reopening very cautiously. Germany for instance has corona limits for every county. If there are daily more than 50 reported new infections the authorities take measures like implementing local quarantines ( spiegel.de)
It also seems that the majorities are cooperating. Apparently the majorities in most European & Asian adapted and learned how to deal with the new situation. The majorities behave disciplined, they are practicing social distancing, wearing masks and hand washing. "Millions of Europeans have made social distancing and mask wearing part
of their daily routine.” observes the Wall Street Journal (wsj.com ).
The exploding numbers in the US, Brazil and their neighbor states suggest that their authorities implemented the lockdowns to late & and that they may reopen to fast. But the explosive growth after 4 months of pandemic also shows that average Americans are less cooperative. Apparently the average Americans behave less disciplined than average Asian & European and they show less respect for the live of others. And their authorities are less inclined to enforce social distancing & wearing masks in public.
In my Manhattan neighborhood the majority adapted nicely, the majority
wears mask in public and keeps distance. Unfortunately I also spot a
ruthless minority who doesn`t get it. Bowery Boogie, a website which
covers Manhattan`s Lower East Side,
observed that "drinking in groups on the streets – in daylight – is
apparently the trend in Hell Square" (some blocks on the Lower East Side
( boweryboogie
). There is frequent congregating, often without face protection; it
goes unchecked until the cops are forced to break up the crowd. Reports from Florida, Texas and other southern states show that there are many more who ignore the rules. There are also ubiquitous reports on social media about the "Karens" who go shopping or are dining without masks and respond aggressively when they get criticized. The US and the southern Americas also have a macho culture, men who think that it is unmanly to wash hands and that wearing masks demonstrates weakness. (I don`t really know what they think - if they think - but their behavior reveals a lot). Apparently many Americans don´t have much self discipline and they don`t show much respect for the live of others.
"Americans are self-absorbed" explains one commentator on the blog Marginal Revolution (marginal ). And he adds: "Wearing a mask doesn't protect the mask-wearer (unless it's an N-95 mask), it protects others from the mask-wearer. What self-absorbed American is willing to wear a mask? Duh".
Karens, machos and other covidiots keep the infection chains alive and they might even cause a second wave for the whole US which will put the reopenings at risk. If the US numbers get even worse the governors of the federal states might be forced to revive the lockdowns and maybe even need to cancel the announced reopenings. And more factories & shops will get closed because their workers get sick or stay at home, which will extend and even worsen the recession. It seems that the ignorant people are sabotaging the openings and the economic recovery.
Karens, machos and other covidiots keep the infection chains alive and they might even cause a second wave for the whole US which will put the reopenings at risk. If the US numbers get even worse the governors of the federal states might be forced to revive the lockdowns and maybe even need to cancel the announced reopenings. And more factories & shops will get closed because their workers get sick or stay at home, which will extend and even worsen the recession. It seems that the ignorant people are sabotaging the openings and the economic recovery.
The global differences in the corona statistics show differences in the quality of people and differences in the competence of their governments. America sucks!
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