American leaders have failed the American people in COVID-19 pandemic | Letter to the editor

In the midst of health departments, hospitals and doctors pleading for test kits, medical personnel putting their lives on the line to treat patients wearing homemade protective gear, and tens of thousands of persons losing their jobs, over 93% of Florida Republicans voted for Trump in the primary last week. That’s incredible.

One would have hoped the president of the United States would have shown proactive leadership in regard to the possibility of COVID-19 becoming a pandemic. However, the blame for the crisis we are now facing is shared by many.

We now know that President Donald Trump, his administration, the CDC, the NSC and members of Congress all knew what was coming with regard to the deadly COVID-19 virus in January. However, instead of quickly placing orders for millions of test kits, purchasing protective gear for medical personnel and additional ventilators and hospital beds for the tens of thousands of patients who would become infected, the only thing that happened was that a travel ban was placed on people coming from China and many of the people we elected to protect the nation sold off their stocks before the markets tanked.

Just think how different things might look now if that 6-8 weeks of advance notice had been used to mobilize the country in the ways we are trying to do now? This lack of leadership from the top will cost thousands of lives, not only for those who needlessly contract the virus because we cannot contain it by testing like they have in South Korea, but for others who will be unable to get quality medical care for other critical conditions in hospitals overwhelmed, understaffed and unprepared for the numbers they must now serve.

Remember these lessons in November.

Karen Curlin

Lakewood Ranch