California Shifts to Endemic COVID Policy

    Image copyright: AP [via The Washington Post]

    The Facts

    • California Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced a shift toward approaching COVID-19 as endemic, the first US state to do so.

    • Newsom's "SMARTER" plan, which is expected to cost the state billions, will focus on quickly spotting surges and variants, increasing healthcare staffing, stockpiling tests and masks, and combating misinformation.


    The Spin

    Left narrative

    Strict COVID policies worked and now it's time to respond to lesser caseloads with a return to normalcy while continuing to monitor risks and potential spikes.

    Right narrative

    California and other Democrat-run states are responding to political polling ahead of the midterms rather than to science. When Newsom announced the mandate would be lifted, COVID deaths were triple the rate they were when restrictions were introduced.


    Political split

    LEFT

    RIGHT

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