The Christian Science Monitor

Why Washington state was so prepared for its pandemic challenge

The state of Washington, it seems, was made for this moment. 

Successfully hold a major election during a pandemic? Check. Flatten the curve of coronavirus cases? Check. Manage the crisis so efficiently that you can actually give 400 ventilators back to the federal government? Check. 

If COVD-19 is the ultimate stress test for a society – revealing how well it protects health, manages the economy, and comes together in crisis – no state might be passing with higher marks than Washington. 

Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.

Despite being America’s first hotspot, coronavirus cases have been going down for six consecutive weeks. Emergency department admissions for people with “COVID-like symptoms” peaked the week of March 22 with 557 admissions statewide, and dropped to 201 this past week, allowing small re-openings like farmers

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Christian Science Monitor

The Christian Science Monitor4 min readAmerican Government
Commentary On Columbia: History, Student Protests, And Humanity
There was a political theorist who famously said there are decades when nothing happens, and weeks when decades happen. As someone who writes about history a good bit, I think we should take those decades when “nothing happens” to remember flashpoint
The Christian Science Monitor5 min readAmerican Government
Trump May Lose Immunity Case – But In A Way That Gives Him A Big Win
In the last case to be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court this term, the justices once again heard from former President Donald Trump, this time to consider a question that strikes at a foundational principle of American democracy. Just how excepti
The Christian Science Monitor2 min read
Why This Olympics Feels Festive
Soon after Olympic swimmer Lydia Jacoby won her first gold medal in 2021 at the Tokyo Games, she graced the winners’ podium in a white tracksuit, her red hair tied up in a bun and her face hidden – under an N95 mask. Because of COVID-19 restrictions,

Related Books & Audiobooks