COVID-19 after 25 years

1. COVID-19 PANDEMIC 1
History of COVID-19 25 Years Later
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

2. COVID-19 PANDEMIC 2
Introduction
It has been 25 years since the infamous coronavirus pandemic struck the world, leaving
untold consequences on the society. The virus, which was dubbed COVID-19, owing to its
variant and outbreak year, spread exponentially from China to the rest of the world. The United
States happened to be the most affected country in terms of casualties, economic impact, and
social repercussions. Although the United States, under Trump and Biden’s administration,
mitigated the virus through specific measures, the uncertainty surrounding its origin, spread and
mutation affected the country significantly. Accordingly, COVID-19 had a considerable impact
on the country’s economy, politics, and society. Besides, the emergence of the disease and its
subsequent spread drastically transformed diplomatic relations and foreign policy between the
United States and the rest of the world. As the world pursued the United States in the
development of various vaccines, the American society economy, and politics suffered. The
United States society endured substantial implications of the virus due to the conventional
liberalism in the country.
U.S Society
Given the liberalism level of the 2020 American society, the COVID-19 mitigation
measures affected the American society significantly. Americans were known to be outgoing
people, who loved to socialize and attend large gatherings (Stolberg, 2021). However, the
emergence of the contagious and highly infectious disease transformed social relations in the
country. For instance, Americans were forced to maintain a social distance of one meter, which
imlies that the country banned public gathering for a considerable period. The society felt under
duress due to the freedoms and liberties that the populace enjoyed prior to the outbreak. Besides,
the mandating of masks and vaccines in some country disoriented the regular functioning of the

3. COVID-19 PANDEMIC 3
American society. The figure below indicates the implications of the pandemic on the American
society in 2020.
Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer
Although most people supported the inoculation, its palpable ineffectiveness invigorated
the spirit of many antivaxxers. Accordingly, the American society remained divided for many
years over whose responsibility it was to protect the public from the virus. Whereas some
healthcare and political quarters pushed for the freedom of fully compliant entities within the
American society, many people termed this move discriminatory and a violation of human rights.
Consequently, COVID-19 adversely affected the American society, especially in the first three
years of its outbreak.
U.S. Economy
The United States economy suffered a major blow under the coronavirus pandemic,
considering the massive jog losses and industry shutdowns. The first 6 months of the virus
outbreak saw the shutdown of the economy, with the Trump administration instituting measures
that made it difficult to continue with normal business (Jones, Palumbo, & Brown, 2021). State
governments passes executive orders that transformed the macroeconomic and microeconomic
perspectives of the country. For instance, the massive job losses triggered the work from home

4. COVID-19 PANDEMIC 4
narrative. The persuasion by authorities to stay at home for the COVID-19 infection curve to
reduce affected food and job security in many parts of the country. The figure below illustrates
the politicization of the pandemic in the United States.
Source: Henry Kotula
Although the United States overcame the economic pressure due to its large GDP,
vulnerable communities and groups suffered considerably. The American economy plummeted
by 5% during the first phase of the coronavirus outbreak. However, the federal and state
governments established specific programs and policies, including economic stimulus programs,
to boost the microeconomic and macroeconomic aspects of the country.
U.S. Politics
The pandemic affected the country’s politics with equal measure as it affected the society
and the economy. Given the significance of American politics on the world stage, the country’s
shifting political trajectory during the pandemic influenced global politics significantly (Hayashi,
Siddiqui, & Restuccia, 2021). Although the Trump administration disagreed with the United
Nations and the World Health Organization over specific healthcare policies, the Democratic
Party supported global initiatives. The figure below depicts the political conversations that
surrounded COVID-19 in the U.S.

5. COVID-19 PANDEMIC 5
Source: Global Times
COCID-19 fundamentally pitted the Republicans against Democrats on specific policy issues in
the country. For instance, Trump administration was hesitant on the vaccine issue and lockdown
whereas the Democrats, led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, supported the measures fully. In a
twist of events, Biden’s inauguration saw American politics come back to the global stage, with
President Biden rooting for a global approach towards overcoming the pandemic (Berger, 2021).
The politics of the United States transformed significantly during the pandemic, with various
legislators, such as Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (AOC), rooting for the integration of sustainability
measures to combat both COVID-19 and climate change.
U.S. and the World
The pandemic had significant implications on the relationship between the United States
and the world, especially after the virus began mutating. The United States recorded the highest
infection rate in the world, triggering travel bans and extraordinary diplomatic relations (Stevens,
2020). The relationship between the European Union and the United States waned during the
Trump administration, especially at the height of the pandemic. The figure below depicts the
relationship between the EU and the United States during the pandemic. However, President
Biden, who was inaugurated during the third wave of the virus, undertook specific steps to mend
diplomatic relations between the United States and the world.

6. COVID-19 PANDEMIC 6
Source pnlttr.com.
Conclusion
Although COVID-19 came as a surprise to many Americans, the virus turned into a
pandemic that had significant implications on American society, politics, and economy. The
virus, which was traced to China, spread fast across the developed nations, especially in Europe
and the United States, increasing morbidities and mortalities. The United States was the hotspot
for the virus due to specific predisposing factors. Six months into the pandemic, the disease
almost overwhelmed America’s healthcare system, forcing the government to institute
lockdowns in specific hotspot zones. The American society transformed significantly due to the
requirement for social isolating and wearing of masks. Besides, the country’s economy declined
for the financial year 2019/20 due to job losses and closure of many industries. However, the
determination by the American government saw the country revive its economy through political
goodwill and economic stimulus programs. The year 2019 will go down the annals of America’s
history as one of the most devastating, considering its shock on the country’s healthcare system,
economy, society, and politics.

7. COVID-19 PANDEMIC 7
Reference List
Stevens, H. (2020, March 14). Why outbreaks like coronavirus spread exponentially, and how to
“flatten the curve.” The Washington Post.
washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/
Kotula, H. (2020, November 14). Cartoon – State of the Union on Covid. Retrieved from
https://henrykotula.com/2020/11/14/cartoon-state-of-the-union-on-covid/
Jones, L. Palumbo, D., & Brown, D. (2021, January 24). Coronavirus: How the pandemic has
changed the world economy. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-51706225
Hayashi, Y., Siddiqui, S., & Restuccia, A. (2021, May 17). U.S. to Increase Covid-19 Vaccine
Exports Amid Global Pressure. The Wall Street Journal.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-to-commit-to-exporting-covid-19-vaccines-by-end-
of-june-11621269053?mod=ig_coronavirus
Rui, L. (2021, August 4). Lie after lie. Global Times. Retrieved from
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202108/1230615.shtml
Open Letter. (2021 August, 23). An Open Letter to EU Presidents on Covid-19 Response.
Retrieved from https://www.opnlttr.com/letter/open-letter-eu-presidents-covid-19-
response
Berger, E. (2021, October 25). Worst of US pandemic likely behind us but we can’t drop our
guard, experts say. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/25/us-
covid-coronavirus-pandemic-experts
Stolberg, S. G. (2021, Dec 1). Covid News: Biden to Extend Mask Mandate for Travel. The New
York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/12/01/world/omicron-variant-covid

8. COVID-19 PANDEMIC 8
Granlund, D. (2021, December 2). 10 cartoons that capture America’s response to coronavirus |
Opinion. The Philadelphia Inquirer.
https://www.inquirer.com/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic-trump-
cartoons-20200313.html