Richard Budd, York

200,000 dead to COVID-19 in America so far. Without a vaccine the virus was going to inevitably kill thousands of Americans, but the current death toll did not have to happen. Other countries have done much better.

First, Trump’s administration dismantled the government agency tasked with planning for such a pandemic, sending knowledgeable people packing.

Second, the president ignored the warnings, poo-pooed the dangers, telling us the virus would magically disappear, downplaying the virus danger because he was worried about his re-election.

Third, Trump failed to marshal the resources of the federal government to meet the crisis, barely utilizing the Defense Production Act (DPA). The COVID-19 “war” has killed almost four times more Americans than the Vietnam War, yet the Trump administration has barely utilized the DPA. Nine months into the pandemic, the nation is still critically short of Personal Protective Equipment and Covid-19 testing resources.

Fourth, the Trump administration has consistently interfered with a rational scientific approach to the pandemic, turning anti-COVID efforts into a political circus. Trump has interfered with the CDC and the FDA, and he has undermined the public’s confidence in these scientific organizations further exasperating their efforts to fight the virus.

So nine months in, there is no end in sight. We are all hoping for a vaccine soon, but that is not a certainty. We need to do more now, but Trump has not and will not. 200,000 dead Americans. For your sake and that of your family and the country, vote him out on November 3.