There is no true anniversary for coronavirus in the United States, as the virus’s spread and impact on people occurred far earlier than the lockdowns and introduction of restrictions hoping to stop its spread that occurred in March of 2020. But as the lockdownaversary grows closer, many people are sharing skepticism from Donald Trump and other conservatives that look very bad a year into what’s been an incredibly deadly pandemic.
Perhaps the biggest tweet that showed off a bad prediction was from Trump, who a year ago on Saturday said coronavirus would “disappear one day” like a “miracle.”
Also Trump one year ago today on COVID: "Only a very small number in U.S.,& China numbers look to be going down."
(Trump already knew that COVID was more contagious and deadly than the flu as he told Woodward on Feb 7, 2020) pic.twitter.com/gqvVBzKzhm
— The Darkest Timeline Numbersmuncher (@NumbersMuncher) February 27, 2021
It’s a claim Trump made several times in the months to come, and his skepticism and refusal to admit the severity of the pandemic contributed to the politicizing of mask mandates and safety procedures that only made the situation worse.
One graphic from Sean Hannity’s program a year ago on Saturday showed off that no one had died from COVID-19 in the United States. We now know, sadly, that that kind of skepticism and refusal to take proper safety precautions helped fuel the uncontrolled spread of coronavirus and played a role in the deaths of more than 500,000 people in America alone in the year since.
https://twitter.com/ParkerMolloy/status/1365707774643036160
Another tweet that went viral on Friday was about North Carolina representative Madison Cawthorne, who was the subject of a lengthy news investigation into several sexual assault allegations against him this week as well. The tweet in question, however, criticized him for voting against COVID-19 relief by proxy after calling Democrats who wanted to work remotely “cowards” in July. The reason he didn’t vote in person? He was speaking at CPAC.
Last year Madison Cawthorn said Dems who used pandemic proxy voting were "cowards for hiding and not showing up to work."
He just filed with the House Clerk to proxy vote as the relief bill comes up "due to the ongoing public health emergency."
He's in Orlando speaking at CPAC pic.twitter.com/NEUr7cSHSf
— Aaron Fritschner (@Fritschner) February 26, 2021
Dunking on these moments will do nothing to bring back the lives of those lost, or change the trajectory of the virus in the US and elsewhere. But it’s a good reminder of the kind of intentional skepticism that got us into this mess, and the people who intentionally downplayed the significance of what’s been a deadly and difficult year for so many.