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I wrote about the pending epidemic in rural America back in May. I think it's safe to say it's now here; a thread. https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/2020-05-06/pandemic-will-soon-test-rural-america
An enormous chunk of the country is seeing rising numbers of cases. You can see "uncontrolled spread" through much of the Midwest and Great Plains, the Southeast, and into many of the Western states. https://www.facebook.com/kristof/photos/a.10150116294837891/10160344357007891/ /2
Many of those lack mask mandates (Idaho, the Dakotas, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, South Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Utah, Florida) and are led by GOP governors. Some cities within these states have mask mandates, leaving the rural areas more vulnerable. /3
And rural areas in general tend to lean red. Combine Republican leadership in the state with a federal leader who is one of the key sources of misinformation about the pandemic ( https://www.vox.com/coronavirus-covid19/21497221/donald-trump-covid-19-coronavirus-news-misinformation-study) & a vulnerable population, you have a bad situation. /4
The Dakotas have both recently set records with their climbing cases. ICU beds are quickly running out. https://twitter.com/aetiology/status/1314542830594002947 /5
In Iowa, hospitalizations have hit a record high while the Governor calls it "disappointing news" without doing anything to respond to the crisis. /6 https://www.iowapublicradio.org/health/2020-10-07/iowas-covid-19-hospitalizations-hit-record-high-reynolds-has-no-new-policies-to-slow-the-spread
This is driven by high infection rates in Northwest Iowa--Steve King country. Governor Reynolds also recently reopened bars in Johnson and Story counties, previously closed due to a spike in cases related to university students. /7 https://siouxcityjournal.com/news/state-and-regional/iowa/covid-19-hospitalizations-hit-record-high-in-iowa-as-rural-outbreaks-grow/article_de9da361-8846-5277-8cfd-f07201473eb8.html
In Ohio, we're not yet in dire straits, but we've also seen increases in our suburban and rural areas, while the larger cities who drove early outbreaks are doing better. /8
Rural folk have largely felt protected from COVID-19. When doing interviews for small radio stations throughout the Midwest in the spring and summer, it kept coming back to "we're already distanced here; what do we have to worry about?" /9
...which is somewhat true. I couldn't even see my neighbors' houses in my first house in Iowa. We don't have to worry about exposure on public transportation or in shared apartment lobbies and elevators. But that distance can lead to complacency. /10
Farmers meet up for coffee in the early mornings at a diner or other gathering spot. Locals chat at the grocery store. Weddings have continued because they're "safe" with a low level of cases. And again, masks are rare, esp in states that lack mandates. /11
My uncle--age 74, bachelor w/ no kids, lifetime smoker, currently undergoing treatment for lung cancer--has returned to almost daily meals, indoors, at Waffle House or Pilgrim Pancake in my hometown, his ritual for many years. He's been lucky so far. How long will luck hold? /12
His attitude is shared by many in areas like my hometown. Some just don't believe that COVID exists. Some think "it's mild, who cares?" Some that it's infringing on their "freedom" or makes them "soft" to wear a mask and be concerned about spending time with others. /13
It's catching up with them now. In Wisconsin, Republicans have sued to stop public health measures, and won. Now hospitals are overwhelmed and they're building field hospitals for care. https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/08/us/wisconsin-covid-outbreak/index.html /14
We need leaders to step up and protect their population. And it really needs to come from the right, because so much misinformation has been sown over the last 4 years that many in these areas just won't trust the mainstream news. And their doubt is now killing them. /fin
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