America was supposed to build a bridge to COVID recovery -- instead we built a 'pier': op-ed

Writing for Axios this Monday, Dan Primack and Nicholas Johnston chronicle what they see to be America's failed response to the coronavirus pandemic.

"America spent the spring building a bridge to August, spending trillions and shutting down major parts of society," the pair write, adding that instead of finishing that bridge, America "blew it" by building a "pier" instead.

Primack and Johnston contend that although President Trump regularly brags about the number of coronavirus tests being conducted throughout the U.S., we haven't "built the infrastructure necessary to process and trace the results."

Another area where America has failed in the fight against coronavirus is in our schools.

"There was no money earmarked for schools to buy new safety equipment, nor to hire additional teachers who might be needed to staff smaller class sizes and hybrid learning days," they write.

The "goodwill" from Americans that was essential in the fight was squandered as well when it came to a unified effort for social distancing.

"Some were essential workers. Some were deemed essential workers but really weren't. Some just didn't care, or didn't believe the threat. Some ultimately decided that protesting centuries of racial injustice was a worthy trade-off."

Read the full piece over at Axios.