Why now and not last year?

So why is Florida is experiencing its worst surge now, 18 months into the pandemic, when the vaccines are widely available?

In some ways, what’s happening in Florida is a microcosm of the current surge across America: a middling vaccination rate has collided with a more contagious version of the virus. And it’s doing so in a state where political leaders continue to insist people should act as though the pandemic is over — even as more people are dying every day than at any point in the past year.

It’s the “when in doubt, take the reckless approach” problem.

DeSantis, who has clear presidential aspirations in 2024, has positioned himself and his state’s Covid-19 response against the public health establishment throughout the pandemic and, more recently, the Biden administration.

He’s a rebel tralala – but if there’s one time you don’t want a preening “rebel” in charge of things it’s during a pandemic. Ok it’s also during a famine or a war etc etc etc but anyway a pandemic is pretty high on the list.

The situation has led to a sort of theater of the absurd, with DeSantis fighting local mitigation measures while at the same time promoting new treatments for people who get so sick they need to be hospitalized because of Covid-19.

A theater of the absurd rebel.