COVID19 Update - Day 256

US Tests: 154,937,873*

US Cases: 11,927,256*

US Deaths: 247,043*

Worldwide Cases: 57,985,648*

Worldwide Deaths: 1,378,567*

* - Numbers are a lower bound.  True numbers are being suppressed by the Trump administration

We've beaten the 'Trump doesn't care whether you live or die' horse for a while, so I suppose it's time to go beat the 'we could be doing so much better with effective leadership' horse some more:

Researchers studying Covid-19 policy say Vermont’s successes are inextricably linked to its approach to helping at-risk groups avoid the virus. “Vermont’s prioritization of its vulnerable populations has helped both to protect those [people] from the worst outcomes we’ve seen in other settings but also contributed to the much lower transmission rates in the state,” said Anne Sosin, the program director of Dartmouth College’s Center for Global Health Equity.

“If we look globally,” Sosin continued, “the countries that have done better [with Covid-19] prioritized their vulnerable populations.”

Vermont’s health leaders recognized this very early in the pandemic. And instead of relying only on stay-at-home orders or curfews — which tend to benefit people who can work from home or fully isolate if they test positive — the government designed a response with the needs of high-risk groups in mind.

The package of measures now includes state-supported housing for the homeless, hazard pay, meal deliveries, and free, pop-up testing in at-risk communities. The state’s Republican governor, Phil Scott, is even proposing $1,000 stipends for people who’ve been asked to self-isolate.

Most states have “been using really blunt public health and policy measures to respond to the pandemic,” Sosin said. Vermont highlights a different way. When governments “tailor responses to the needs of our most vulnerable populations,” she added, “we can stop the virus and save lives.”

It's amazing how much better off EVERYONE is when the most vulnerable in our society are taken care of.  Of course, that requires empathy, something which is in sadly short supply these days.