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March

News reporting on COVID-19 ramps up and COVID-19 starts to be seen as a serious threat necessitating aggressive government response.

Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases starts becoming a household name this month, setting himself up as a ‘pro-science’ foil to Trump.

In early March mask wearing is still discouraged, including by the surgeon general, as largely ineffective for regular people (although needed for medical personnel). At the end of month Fauci says ‘maybe’ regular Americans should wear masks outside the house.

Testing gains prominence as a measure to combat COVID-19. Government officials are blamed for not having more tests more widely available. Ventilators are also considered a vital tool for helping those with COVID-19, and concern grows for the number of ventilators available.

Schools begin closing in early March in Washington state, which for a time had the highest number of COVID-19 deaths. These deaths were largely linked to a single nursing home near Seattle. The link between old age and COVID-19 severity becomes more broadly established.

Schools nation-wide begin closing as the month progresses. Concerns are raised about children’s mental and social health, along with the possibility of learning achievement gaps.

Some companies begin transitioning to remote-only work. And some consumers begin panic-buying hand sanitizer, face masks, toilet paper, and other supplies.

Italy begins a country-wide lockdown in the second week of March, and speculation begins as to whether parts of the U.S. should lockdown as well.

Throughout the month U.S. health officials encourage older and immunocompromised Americans to stay home, and to cancel large gatherings.

“Flattening the curve” enters public discourse, which means reducing the number of cases at a time so as not to overwhelm hospitals.

“Social distancing” and “stay home, stay safe/save lives” also gain prominence. There is some concern this could cause depression and loneliness, but towards the end of the month pleas to stay home reach a fever pitch, sometimes enforced by law.

The White House announces social distancing guidelines in mid-March. A few days later governors begin issuing state-wide stay-at-home orders.

Trump indicates he hopes social distancing measures only last 15 days, and that “we cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself”—a sentiment scoffed by several media outlets.

Trillions of dollars are appropriated for federal coronavirus response, and the 1950 Defense Production Act was issued to order General Motors to produce ventilators.

Trump suggests hydroxychloroquine as a possible COVID-19 treatment, an idea that gets immediate media backlash. Remdesivir also enters national discussion as COVID-19 treatment, and gets more favorable news coverage.

Key Dates and Stories:

  • March 1: Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar says HHS is ‘ramping up’ testing for coronavirus
  • March 6: Trump signs $8.3 billion emergency coronavirus spending package
  • March 9: Italy expands its quarantine to the entire country as coronavirus cases and deaths surge
  • March 12: Trump cancels all flights from Europe, apart from the UK
  • March 15: Dept. Of Agriculture announces school lunch sites amid COVID-19 closures
  • March 16: White House announces new social distancing guidelines around coronavirus
  • March 18: President Trump signs Coronavirus emergency aid package
  • March 22: Surgeon General: Delay elective medical, dental procedures to help us fight coronavirus
  • March 23: The Trump administration seems to want to ease off coronavirus prevention measures to protect the crashing economy
  • March 27: Trump signs $2-trillion coronavirus stimulus package and orders production of ventilators
  • March 27: Dr. Anthony Fauci: Trump’s desire to reopen the country by Easter is an ‘aspirational projection’
  • March 28: Fauci said he's 'willing to bet anything' that people who recover from the new coronavirus are 'really protected from reinfection'
  • March 30: President Trump's Advisors 'Argued Strongly' Against Easing Coronavirus Measures Too Early, Anthony Fauci Says
  • March 31: J&J COVID-19 Contract Allocates $456 Million For Vaccine Research

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