The U.S. government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic was late and lethargic. As a result, the death toll here now tops 75,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, even after weeks of stay-at-home orders, bans on public gatherings, and school and business closures.
That’s more dead Americans than the population of Portland, Maine, and more than double the U.S. lives lost during the Korean War. The U.S. leads all countries in both total reported fatalities and confirmed COVID-19 infections, which have now surpassed 1.25 million.
Unfortunately, there is no going back, no action that can make up for lost time. But if there’s a lesson to be learned from the last three months, it’s that what we do next will determine how many more Americans fall victim to COVID-19.
Thirty-one states have partially reopened their economies or announced plans to do so in the next week, according to a New York Times tracker. As stay-at-home orders and social distancing requirements are lifted, tens of thousands of lives are on the line. | 
