A heartbreaking cry for putting lives first

COVID-19 infections in the United States hit a new grim milestone of 10 million on Monday with a sustained record-breaking surge.

Now roughly one in 33 Americans is infected with the disease, a shocking figure reminding the world's sole superpower of taking immediate action to put American lives first before the virus further turns into a runaway horse.

The U.S. government has squandered much of this year that could have been used to put the epidemic under control, and the consequences have been devastating: America is suffering from "uncontrolled spread" of the virus on most of its territory, a record-high average daily increase of more than 100,000 in COVID-19 cases and overwhelmed hospital capacity.

Not quite at the rock bottom yet. Experts feared that with growing fatigue, upcoming holidays and colder weather, the situation could be much worse. Researchers projected that another 106,000 Americans may lose their lives in the next two months, adding to nearly 240,000 victims.

Still, the country has a chance to escape from the worst scenario once it abandons arrogance, contempt for science and lack of responsibility, and begins to take Americans' lives and health really serious.

To put lives front and center, the White House needs to reflect on its coronavirus response fiasco and double down on concrete, cohesive and consistent prevention and control measures as soon as possible.

Over the past months, Washington has done its least, if any, to address the public health crisis. Placing politics above lives, it has downplayed the danger of the virus, blamed others for its own mishandling of the epidemic and denied what is really going on, acting like the proverbial ostrich burying its head in the sand regardless of scientific advisories and public outcry.

Its incompetence misguides many Americans who until today believe the virus is no big deal, putting themselves and others at extreme risk. The pandemic will not simply disappear with the passing of time, as decision-makers in the White House daydreams. Their laissez-faire is killing more Americans.

To put lives front and center, the White House needs to let science take the lead and stop ignoring and violating public health recommendations, slandering scientists who tried to tell the truth and spreading life-threatening misinformation.

Sadly, wearing masks and social distancing, proven most effective in controlling the disease in other countries, become so politicized in the United States. The University of Washington projected that if 95 percent of the Americans wear masks in public, nearly 130,000 lives could be saved from late September through the end of February next year.

To put lives front and center, the White House needs to lay out plans for international cooperation, because no country will survive the highly contagious disease threatening humankind.

From spreading conspiracy theories and imposing unilateral sanctions amid the pandemic, to withdrawing from global cooperation and stoking vaccine nationalism, Washington has been sabotaging global cooperation and moulding the United States into a lone ranger, which, as the 10 million cases have shown, are doing no good to the country itself. Joint efforts worldwide in the vaccine development will certainly make it faster for everyone, including Americans, to be immune to the disease.

Every single life matters. That is what the new grim milestone is trying to tell. The whole world is joining efforts to get rid of COVID-19, and Washington should not stay away.