<p>The United States has now surpassed 10 million COVID-19 cases, the most of any country in the world. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-idUSKBN2702HS" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Midwestern states</a> are being hit particularly hard, though the current wave stretches across the entire country, and <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/11/pandemic-coronavirus-hospitalizations-new-record/617061/?utm_content=edit-promo&utm_campaign=the-atlantic&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_term=2020-11-11T00%3A43%3A26" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hospitalizations</a> have reached an all-time high. Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci recently <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/28/dr-fauci-warns-of-a-whole-lot-of-pain-due-to-coronavirus-pandemic-in-the-coming-months-.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">warned</a> of "a whole lot of pain" if current trajectories persist.</p><p>Meanwhile, in Latin America, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/brazil-coronavirus-cases.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Brazil</a>, Mexico, Argentina, and <a href="https://covid19.who.int/region/amro/country/pe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Peru </a>remain major COVID-19 hotspots, recording some of the <a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">highest per capita mortality rates</a> in the world.</p><p>A strong resurgence of the disease in former European hotspots like Spain and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/world/europe/italy-coronavirus-cases.html#cases" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Italy </a>is <em>again</em> testing the limits of healthcare systems. While in the spring the virus was mainly contained to northern Italy, now it is also <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/italy-coronavirus-second-wave/2020/10/17/a1e143da-0f21-11eb-b404-8d1e675ec701_story.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ravaging</a> the south. Across Europe, hospitalizations in the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2020/nov/11/uk-coronavirus-live-johnson-tories-lockdown-chief-of-staff-covid-latest-updates" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UK, </a>France, and the <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/30/europe/czech-second-wave-hospital-crisis-teens-intl/index.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Czech Republic </a>continue to soar. </p><p><strong>COVID fatigue.</strong> As the pandemic lingers, people's willingness to adhere to disruptive lockdown measures is waning. A recent poll of Americans conducted by <a href="https://news.gallup.com/opinion/gallup/308126/roundup-gallup-covid-coverage.aspx" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gallup </a>recorded the lowest level of concern of contracting the virus since mid-June.</p><p>This presents a <em>massive</em> challenge for politicians who are trying to get a pandemic-weary public to mask up and comply with lockdown measures. Though the virus has played out differently in many places, local and state representatives from places as varied as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/17/us/coronavirus-pandemic-fatigue.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wisconsin,</a> <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/gantz-commends-jlem-mayor-for-successful-efforts-of-combating-covid-19-648677" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jerusalem</a>, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54701042" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Milan,</a> and <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-germany-braces-for-anti-lockdown-protests/a-55513848" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Berlin</a> say that as "second waves" drag on, they are observing people's growing willingness to risk contracting COVID-19 either out of necessity or weariness. The problem is so pervasive that <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/how-to-deal-with-coronavirus-burnout-and-pandemic-fatigue" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">John Hopkins University</a> and the <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/who-europe-discusses-how-to-deal-with-pandemic-fatigue" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">World Health Organization </a>have published blueprints for dealing with "coronavirus burnout" and "pandemic fatigue." </p><p><strong>Economic pain deepens.</strong> The <a href="https://voxeu.org/article/economic-consequences-covid-19-multi-country-analysis" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economic costs </a>of the pandemic are well established, but as business closures are set to continue well into 2021, the burdens may become too hard for some people to bear. In the US, for example, those who supported earlier lockdown measures may not show the same willingness to comply as unemployment benefits completely <a href="We%20are%20now%20about%20to%20enter%20year%20two%20of%20the%20coronavirus%20pandemic,%20a%20saga%20that's%20been%20lingering%20far%20longer%20than%20many%20people%20first%20anticipated.%20As%20we%20near%20this%20grim%20milestone,%20it's%20worth%20reflecting%20on%20how%20the%20once-in-a-generation%20public%20health%20crisis%20is%20currently%20unfolding." target="_blank">dry up </a>with no reprieve in sight.</p><p>Researchers point to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/20/coronavirus-recession-ends-for-rich-crisis-persists-for-others.html" target="_blank">"two recessions"</a> in some advanced economies: while the financial pain may have largely dissipated for wealthy people, people of color, <a href="https://www.gzeromedia.com/the-pandemic-is-hurting-women-more-than-men" target="_self">women</a>, and low-wage earners are still finding it hard to put food on the table or pay their bills. Hundreds of small business owners and workers<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/sep/16/hundreds-seek-damages-as-victoria-faces-multiple-class-action-lawsuits-over-melbournes-covid-lockdown" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> filed lawsuits</a> against the state government of Victoria in Australia for having imperiled their livelihoods by enforcing strict lockdowns.</p><p><strong>Vaccine distribution. </strong>The world rejoiced this week when US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer <a href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-announce-vaccine-candidate-against" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">announced</a> that its coronavirus vaccine is more than 90 percent <a href="https://www.gzeromedia.com/pfizer-throws-fresh-light-on-vaccine-politics" target="_self">effective</a> at preventing COVID-19. But some health experts were more subdued, warning that the main challenge of 2021 will be <em>distributing</em> the vaccine.</p><p>While the global <a href="https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/covax-explained" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">COVAX</a> initiative aims to ensure the vaccine distribution process is equitable, there are some stumbling blocks. The US has <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/09/02/908711419/u-s-wont-join-who-led-coronavirus-vaccine-effort-white-house-says" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">not joined</a> because President Trump resents "the corrupt World Health Organization and China." To make matters worse, the US is also part of a select group of countries that has been <a href="https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/21439799/covid-19-vaccine-priority-access-covax-who" target="_blank">prioritizing </a>vaccine access for their own populations, increasing the risk that developing nations will be<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-race-to-secure-covid-19-vaccines-worlds-poorest-countries-lag-behind-11598998776" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> left behind</a>. </p><p><strong>Looking ahead: </strong>Just because you are sick and tired of COVID, doesn't mean it's sick and tired of you. Even as vaccine development appears promising, it's clear that many nations must brace for a rough few months ahead.</p>
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