How the Pandemic Has Evolved and How the President Will Handle It

The long-anticipated 2020 Election Day is finally over.

Major news sources including Fox News, CNN and the Associated Press have declared Democrat challenger and former vice president Joe Biden the 46th president of the United States.

It was an incredibly close and contentious election. As of this writing, ballots in several states are still being counted. Lawsuits are being filed. Results are being contested.

Some political analysts say one of the reasons for Biden’s electoral college advantage was COVID-19. They say the public lost confidence in President Donald Trump’s ability to handle it.

If Biden is indeed the next president, he will have his hands full. He knows he needs to slow the spread of a virus now infecting more than 100,000 Americans every day. Without destroying the economy.

Devastating Effects

We'll get to Biden's plans to tackle that dilemma in a moment. In the meantime, let's review how COVID-19 has evolved since its start.

After all, in less than a year the virus has brought countries around the world to a standstill. It has pushed hospital systems to the brink.

And it has dragged the global economy into possibly the worst recession since World War II.

Millions of Americans lost their jobs due to the virus. Hundreds of thousands of businesses shut down. Countless businesses are enforcing strict safety protocols.

The COVID-19 Timeline

Here's a partial timeline regarding how the coronavirus began and evolved.

January 9 – The World Health Organization (WHO) announces a mysterious coronavirus-related pneumonia in Wuhan, China.

January 20 – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) begins passenger screenings at airports in New York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

January 21 – The CDC confirms the first coronavirus case in the U.S. It's a Washington state resident who recently returned from Wuhan. 

January 31 – WHO declares a public health emergency as the virus spreads to Germany, Japan, Vietnam and Taiwan.

February 3 – The U.S. declares a public health emergency.

March 11 – WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic. The organization's director general expresses concerns about the "alarming levels of spread and severity." 

March 13 – Trump declares a national emergency. It frees up billions of dollars in federal funding to fight the disease's spread. Trump also declares a travel ban on non-U.S. citizens traveling here from Europe.

March 17 – Trump asks Congress to expedite emergency relief checks to Americans as part of an economic stimulus package.

March 19 – California becomes the first state to issue a stay-at-home order, other than for essential jobs or shopping for essential needs.

April 29 – Trials conducted by the National Institutes of Health show the drug Remdesivir speeds up recovery time from the virus.

May 28 – The U.S. passes the 100,000 mark in deaths from the coronavirus.

June 10 – U.S. COVID-19 cases reach the 2 million mark. Cases rise as some states ease social distancing restrictions.

June 30 – Dr. Anthony Fauci warns the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that new U.S. cases could reach 100,000 per day.

July 7 – WHO acknowledges evidence suggesting airborne coronavirus transmission.

July 8 – Intensive care units in hospitals in Florida and Arizona reach full capacity due to COVID-19 surges.

July 15 – Walmart, the world's largest retailer, requires shoppers to wear facemasks in all 5,000 of its U.S. stores.

August – Numerous countries and U.S. states report record-breaking numbers of daily COVID-19 infections. Many schools announce they will not reopen for in-person classes in the fall.

September 9 – The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association announce that more than 500,000 U.S. children have tested positive for COVID-19.

September 22 – U.S. deaths from COVID-19 surpass 200,000.

September 28 – Global deaths from COVID-19 surpass the 1 million mark.

October 2 – Trump and wife Melania test positive for COVID-19. The president is flown to Walter Reed Hospital for treatment. He returns to the White House three days later.

October 8 – At least 34 people in the Trump Administration have tested positive for COVID-19. 

November 7 – The U.S. establishes a record for daily cases with 126,742 confirmed. In addition, 1040 deaths are reported.

November 9 - Pfizer and BioNTech announce their coronavirus vaccine is more than 90 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 among those without evidence of a prior infection.

What's Your Plan?

As promised, here's how Biden says he would attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19 without destroying the economy.

At the crux of the plan are the following features:

  • 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.
  • Allocating $25 billion toward the manufacturing and distribution of an eventual vaccine.
  • The full deployment and operation of necessary supplies, personnel and facilities.
  • Establishing a racial and ethnic disparities task force to address the communities disproportionately affected by the virus.

As far as future health crises are concerned, Biden says this. He wants to establish and manage a permanent, professional, sufficiently resourced public health and first responder system. One that protects Americans by doing the following:

  • Scaling up biomedical research
  • Deploying rapid testing capacity
  • Ensuring robust, nationwide disease surveillance
  • Sustaining a first-class public health and first responder workforce
  • Establishing a flexible emergency budgeting authority
  • Mobilizing the world to ensure greater sustained preparedness for future pandemics.

Eventually we'll know the results of any recounts and fraud allegations from the 2020 presidential election. If only getting COVID-19 under control would happen as quickly.

Comments

  • e - November 16, 2020

    There is so much evidence of fraud. 450,000 ballots dropped off 4 am at one voting place all for Biden. Really? That not fraud? The fact that they found computer programs that are flipping Trump votes to Biden. There are areas that have 618% voting. Our voting system has been vulnerable for years and we are just now finding out the depth of it. Living in a country of free choice means you have put forth effort to find the facts and not settle for being fed information via the media. The media does not select the president, the people do.

  • Jill - November 13, 2020

    No evidence of fraud, law suits are frivolous. If there is evidence…then lets see it. Trumps lawyers are admitting in court that there is no evidence. Biden has won decisively and there is nothing Trump can legally do about that. Trump is conning his supporters for personal gain in the future. But we will have to see because of pending State felony charges and indictments for Trump. These felonies may alter his future plans. Re: Covid, Covid doesn’t listen to all the conspiracy theories mentioned here. Biden’s plan is very different from Trumps’ herd immunity…which means mandate nothing and just let people die. We can stop some of the deaths with greater support for State health departments, facemasks, contact tracing, restrictions on group events, access to accurate and quick testing, etc. The interworkings of the Federal and State agencies need to be coordinated so that different agencies do not have to bid or compete against each other. So that plans can be made for the future. The timeline put in this blog is inaccurate in that it confuses Trump’s words with what actually happened….ie) Trump actually never ordered any business to make PPE for citizens and health workers. Given our overlapping jurisdictions, I do not know how much power Biden will have to issue federal mandates as compared to States. It actually is a complicated legal matter…so I think there will be a lot of deal making between Biden’s administration and states…In Wisconsin, where I am from, this will be even more complicated though because the GOP has refused to work with our governor, refused to go into a special session to see what we can do, has filed lawsuits against any actions the governor has taken. So all I can do is pray for Trump right now and his supporters so that we will not needlessly realize 400 plus thousand deaths that are now estimated by March 1st.

  • ELEANOR ABNER - November 12, 2020

    I have advised everyone I know to turn off the main stream media. There are several conservative stations that stream. I agree with everyone that has commented = Joe Biden is not the man for the job and he has no real plan for the virus or anything else. Everything that Trump has done to help us through this pandemic is all anyone person could possibly do. Joe Biden is a copycat. This election is not over. The battle has just begun to fight for our country.

  • Jan - November 12, 2020

    Trump 2020!
    He was chosen my God Almighty and the real American people, who voted for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness! Currently, our country has been stolen from us 🇺🇸 by radical, left wing social elitists. They only care about power and money for themselves.
    God bless 🙏 🙌 ❤ America 🇺🇸 and President Donald Trump!

  • CJ - November 12, 2020

    How is Biden’s plan for COVID different than what Trump already has in place?

  • Deb Woodrow - November 12, 2020

    Thank you for putting together an excellent non biased timeline of Covid 19. Also for outlining Bidens Covid plan. Love or hate Biden , believe or disbelief of Covid being " real" it does affect lives and economics.

  • judy jernigan - November 12, 2020

    Biden will be riding on the coattails of all the work Trump has done for us. Trump is the best president
    and the hardest working I have ever seen. God bless him and his family. JJ

  • Sandra Payne - November 12, 2020

    I agree with all the comments above and am very disappointed in the news and how the democrats have acted during the last four years. Big cry babies have to get their way by doing things the illegal way. JS

  • jean - November 10, 2020

    Hi,
    I have learned that the mainstream news only lies, and for a President to be called before the states have finished counting is absurd, Does this make sense to you?
    When the magnitude of the voter fraud is revealed Trump will have won by a landslide. I believe all states are red, and I can’t tell you how many Democrats I know that have switched.

    In case you weren’t aware, the real ballots were tracked by GFS, because Trump knew 2 years ago that they would try to steal the election.

    Regards,
    Jean

  • rich francis moulton - November 10, 2020

    If the democrats didn’t open the door to this virus and unleashing on the world in a attempt to steal the WH we wouldn’t be talking about it. The democrats are to blame along with China. Thankfully once the dust clears from all the fraudulent ballots and Trump is still president the truth will be uncovered about fauci gates and the democrats we will start to see thing get back to normal.

  • Robert Averill - November 10, 2020

    Enjoyed the article but Biden wants to do all the same things Trump has already done so basically he’s just copying Trump. This is typical liberal news.
    Biden has done nothing in 47 years so not a good track record.

  • Wayne - November 10, 2020

    In my opinion it is nothing more than what President Trump is already doing

  • Linda Machleit - November 12, 2020

    I would like to say that the Covid Pandemics that have taken so many lives already are the least of our worries. We have greater things to spend our worries on. I pray that we open our eyes wide and see what is going on right in front of us. As real as the pandemic is, it is a distraction and a cause to focus on self.

  • charles musgrove - November 12, 2020

    Mr. Boys, You seem willing to join those who know that if they push hard enough, most people will give in to the socialist claims. Irregularities at the ballot box all across the country support the call to “hold on just a minute” we believe the odor says there’s a skunk here. Almost 4 years of opposition to President Trump says the Left is no where near folding their tent. They have seized the expression from (the insurance industry ?) “make your plan and work the plan!”
    As for the possible points Biden would implement, they scream “more government control!” The Democrat Party cannot claim victory until all LEGAL ballots have been counted and the total favors them
    Yogi Berra might have described the situation with the Liberals “they have come to a fork in the road and they took it.”
    May God have mercy on America’s future. We may have passed God’s limits on national conduct.
    Cordially C. Musgrove

  • Anthony Heino - November 12, 2020

    biden hasn’t done crap in 47 years including the swine flu!! What makes you think he’s going to do anything now??? Only thing he should be is in jail!

  • William A. Frideger - November 12, 2020

    So far I see nothing new in Biden’s plan and several things omitted or perhaps being stopped. Also you missed the 01/31 travel ban on China and the WHO notice the corvid was nit contagious.

  • John D Dube - November 12, 2020

    Biden’s covid plans were already being done by Trump, he just wants to take credit for them. He will also try to take credit for the vaccine that was a result of Trump expediting the process by removing barriers.

  • LDH - November 12, 2020

    I’m ‘certain’ this comment will not be “approved”. But Covid 19 is the biggest scam ever perpetrated upon the world – planned and implemented by the Cabal/DeepState – all the health organizations – run by the biggest eugenicists ever – Bill and Melinda Gates – and of course, Fauci, Birx, Tedros Adhanom, etc. And WE are foolish enough to play along with it. Not me, but half of the world. The Left controlled Media never tells us the truth, censors every dissenting voice – Dr’s, scientists, who disagree – but we can find it by researching (until they also censor our online platforms). If you believe Covid is a worldwide killer – be my guest. It surely IS a moneymaker for people like you – as you play on the fears of the sheep. The truth will come out eventually – but our President TRUMP! Because Biden is not, can not, and never will be President. He has been tried and ‘gone’ a year ago. But keep living in lala land.

  • John - November 12, 2020

    Trump has the same plan so how can this be any new plan den came up to trump said this what he was gonna do a month ago

  • Jesse Gonzales - November 12, 2020

    Your timeline left out Trump’s ban on all travel from China on 1/31.
    Was this purposely left out because you think this did not happen??
    Biden was critical of Trump & called him Zenaphobic for doing so.
    We would have 10 times the deaths in this country if Sleepy Joe
    was in charge at the time.

  • Marc Lieberman M.D. - November 12, 2020

    Joe Biden’s intelligence & compassion are evident & reassuring — in stark contrast to our Commander-Clown-in-Chief, Trump….

  • Mike R. - November 12, 2020

    Robert,
    Your message seems to put a lot of faith in a washed up, sunsetting, impotent excuse for the most powerful office holder in the world. So, I hope you have lots more emergency supplies for when he ’shut’s it all down again’. We’ll need them. And maybe package some prayers to go along with that.
    Oh, and be sure to lock your doors when FEMA shows up.
    With due respect,
    Mike
    PS the only thing I’ll agree with you on, is that Mr. Trump did us a huge disservice with how he handled himself during all of this. Not that he ot anything but obstacles, and smokescreens from the other side of the aisle.

  • Penny Mccullough - November 12, 2020

    My thoughts about this article are that the MSM ( main stream media) are not the ones who declare the status of a President. They are to report, but not declare. There has been too much controversy over the ballots and we all knew that it was going to be a disaster from the beginning . Right now, Biden is “president -elect”. Trump has not conceded and will not until his legal battles are over. That could take months. God forbid if Pelosi steps in and takes it over. We’re all doomed. She hates him, as do the democratic party.
    My fear is that Biden and his groupies will want to mandate vaccines for everyone. Problem is, that we all have immune systems. We should all be taking vitamins, zinc, vitamin D and pro biotics to boost our immunity. We should all be getting fresh air and exercise, even if it is a walk. Some of us do not want the government making us take a vaccine. We should be allowed to choose.
    I don’t want to debate this, but this is my personal opinion. This Patriot values her 54 years of American freedom and right now, especially in IL, all our leaders want to do is lock us down further.

    It’s a sad day unless Trump wins
    Patriot Penny

  • Doris Reed - November 12, 2020

    I believe the Democrats should have bought a cure from China when they bought the virus.

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