Covid-19 cases hit a six-month high in August with the most daily infections since February. At the time of this survey, the United States was once again reporting more than 100,000 new cases each day. I asked readers who they were holding MOST accountable for this troubling development. Here are the results.
My thoughts: In posing the question, I figured unvaccinated individuals would be at the top but had no idea who else might be blamed. The fact that former President Trump leads the list, despite being out of office for nearly a year, is likely indicative of the impact he had on our initial pandemic response and the influence he continues to have on our politically divided nation. Tied for third is “no one,” with 7% of respondents believing the virus could not be contained no matter what we try. That level of defeatism is worrisome when there is so much more we can do to contain and slow the spread.
Thanks to all those who voted. To participate in future surveys, and for access to timely news and opinion on American healthcare, sign up for my free (and ad-free) newsletter Monthly Musings on American Healthcare.
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Dr. Robert Pearl is the former CEO of The Permanente Medical Group, the nation’s largest physician group. He’s a Forbes contributor, bestselling author, Stanford University professor, and host of two healthcare podcasts. Pearl’s newest book, “Uncaring: How the Culture of Medicine Kills Doctors & Patients,” is available now. Follow him on Twitter @RobertPearlMD.
