America Last
On Saturday I did something I haven’t been able to do since February of 2020: I ran in an organized race. It was “only” a local Parkrun — just as what TE Lawrence and his Bedouin friend ordered in the tavern after coming out of the desert was “only” a lemonade. And it felt good to be normal again.
The UK government decreed what was termed “Freedom day” — July 19th to be precise. It was on that day that Prime Minister Boris Johnson optimistically and abruptly pronounced “the last lockdown,” and thus it was officially lifted. For some reason we can do here what Yanks in America can only do at their own considerable peril. We can start mingling indoors and out again — with certain precautions and restrictions still in place, to be sure.
Why are we in Britain so lucky while America continues to suffer so mightily under the tyranny of Covid-19? The answer may be the magic number 70. Despite the United Kingdom suffering the world’s highest daily infection rate at the time of the lockdown lift, we had a secret weapon: 88% of adults here have received one dose of the coronavirus vaccine and 73% of adults have received two doses.
Meanwhile only 70% percent of Americans have received one dose and and 60% two doses — and that’s in the bluest states. In states like Wyoming, Mississippi and Alabama the rates are way, way down in the 30s. Thus, thanks to high vaccination percentages, in Britain the infection rate is dropping.
The message from Britain is science works — and Britons know it. And because we know science works we are able to enjoy the fruits of its discoveries to the fullest extent. We got vaccinated.
To be sure we remain careful. Even though the official word from Westminster is masks are no longer mandatory, we continue to wear them. The last time I was in a grocery store, the same day I ran in the Parkrun, Saturday, I wore a mask, and so did everyone else in the store. The foolish few who don’t wear them probably won’t do much harm. Enough of us are now vaccinated and continuing to wear masks that we can largely ignore the dwindling number of anti-science idiots among us.
This is the island sir Isaac Newton was born on, after all. Because science works and so many Britons know it we can get back to the business of living our lives in a relatively normal way.
So once again England swings like a pendulum do. But that pendulum is still somewhat constrained by a certain amount of good old-fashioned common sense. Enough of us remain careful. But then, that’s why so many of us got vaccinated in the first place.
Unfortunately all this good application of good science may turn out all for nothing. Until our American cousins get onboard with science the danger remains that a vaccine-resistant variant may incubate in America or some similarly-below-70% country. Then we are all screwed. Anti-science ignorance is the bane of the world. Some day Republican-perverted ideas about patriotism could literally kill us all. And, as ever, ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, comrades and friends, stay safe.
Robert Harrington is an American expat living in Britain. He is a portrait painter.