Recommendations for United States Pandemic Prevention After COVID-19

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory system coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel coronavirus that was responsible for the 2020 pandemic. As of June 2023, it has resulted in over 700 million confirmed cases and almost 7 million deaths globally (WHO, 2023). The United States suffered the most during the early pandemic, surpassing 1 million cases and 100,000 deaths by June 2020 (CDC, 2023). Several factors affected the US’s response to the SARs-CoV2 outbreak, including social forces, public health legislation, and the healthcare system. These all altered the rate at which COVID spread among Americans, as well as its lethality. This review examines the effects various factors had on the US government’s COVID-19 response, and how they either positively or negatively affected the spread of SARS-CoV2. This is a multidisciplinary review focused on not only the mechanisms of the virus, but also on political and social factors. Based on the successes and shortcomings of the United States COVID-19 response, this paper suggests recommendations that will help the United States respond more effectively to the next pandemic similar to the novel coronavirus outbreak.