It is perhaps this decisive handling of the Covid-19 pandemic that will go down as President Joe Biden’s greatest legacy. After he acted swiftly to roll out vaccines, 69% of the US population has now received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine, with booster shots now gradually following in their wake. Having already implemented a mask mandate on federal property within days of commencing his presidency, Biden is now fighting a conservative challenge in the Supreme Court to pass a vaccine mandate for federal agencies with more than 100 staff members.
Writing from my Harvard dorm room, it is amazing what difference a year makes in the Covid-19 era. A year ago when Donald Trump still occupied the White House, Boston was in a state of siege as the coronavirus swept through the city. Students were given just five days to evacuate the campus. Unhindered by the toothless response from Washington, DC, new cases in the state peaked at 8,120 a day as Trump’s presidency drew to a close.
Things could not have been more different today. Despite lingering fears about the Omnicron strain, life has returned to a semblance of normalcy as the lively chatter of students once more rings across Harvard Yard. People freely come and go throughout the city and in-person events have once more resumed, albeit with slight restrictions regarding mask-wearing, vaccinations and social distancing. Caseloads throughout the state generally average in the 1000s.
