COVID-19 in Words
Where we started:
In May of 2018, the White House dissolved the pandemic response team. A decision met with mass criticisms from epidemiologists and public health experts who long-warned of the acute consequences a pandemic would have due to climate change, worsening chronic health conditions and lack of easy access to preventative care in the United States.
Where we are:
As of December 1, 2020—265 days after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus as a pandemic—14.2 million people contracted COVID-19 in the United States. 1.51 million died.
Where are we going:
For the United States, our numbers represent an incalculable loss. So we turned to words in an effort to understand how the language around a tragedy shapes the crisis.
With each month you can see how the total number of cases grows, making each previous month look miniscule.
We collected all documents from the White House related to the coronavirus to interrogate just how the narrative around the virus has changed. Here’s what we found:
February
“Looks like by April, you know in theory when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away.” President Donald Trump, 2/10
"It's going to disappear. One day it's like a miracle, it will disappear” President Donald Trump, 2/27
“It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flu... This is deadly stuff” [Trump in a private taped interview with Bob Woodward, made public September 9]
March
“I like this stuff. I really get it. People are surprised that I understand it… Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability. Maybe I should have done that instead of running for president.” President Donald Trump, 3/6
“Just stay calm. It will go away.” President Donald Trump, 3/10
"You know, you see what's going on. And so I just wanted that to stop as it pertains to the United States. And that's what we've done. We've stopped it." President Donald Trump, 3/12
“Unfortunately the enemy is death. It's death. A lot of people are dying. So it's very unpleasant.” President Donald Trump, 3/29
April
“I couldn’t have done it any better,” [When asked if his coronavirus response could have been better] President Donald Trump, 4/9
“Now we’re going toward 50, I’m hearing, or 60,000 people [dead from the coronavirus]” President Donald Trump, 4/19
"I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute, one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning? As you see, it gets in the lungs, it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that." President Donald Trump, 4/23
May
“There’ll be more death, that the virus will pass, with or without a vaccine. And I think we’re doing very well on the vaccines but, with or without a vaccine, it’s going to pass, and we’re going to be back to normal” President Donald Trump, 5/5
“This is going to go away without a vaccine. It is going to go away. We are not going to see it again.” President Donald Trump, 5/8
“When we have a lot of cases, I don't look at that as a bad thing, I look at that as, in a certain respect, as being a good thing,...Because it means our testing is much better. I view it as a badge of honor, really, it's a badge of honor.” President Donald Trump, 5/19
June
“Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying this is a great thing that’s happening for our country...This is a great day for him. It’s a great day for everybody. This is a great day for everybody. This is a great, great day in terms of equality.” President Donald Trump, 6/6
"Testing is a double-edged sword,...When you do testing to that extent, you're going to find more people, you're going to find more cases, so I said to my people, 'Slow the testing down, please.'" President Donald Trump, 6/20
"It's going away." President Donald Trump, 6/23
July
“I think we’re going to be very good with the coronavirus.” “I think that, at some point, that’s going to sort of disappear, I hope.” President Donald Trump, 7/1
“I think we have one of the lowest mortality rates in the world” President Donald Trump, 7/19
"America will develop a vaccine very soon, and we will defeat the virus. We will have it delivered in record time." President Donald Trump, 7/27
August
"...we have among the lowest numbers." President Donald Trump, 8/4
“If you look at children, children are almost - and I would almost say definitely - but almost immune from this disease.” President Donald Trump, 8/5
“The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics. Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives!” President Donald Trump, 8/22
The President claims that ballot drop boxes are a “voter security disaster” and a “big fraud,” “possible for a person to vote multiple times” and that they aren’t “Covid sanitized.” President Donald Trump, 8/23
September
“I think that we've probably done the best job of any country” President Donald Trump, 9/10
"We're rounding the corner," "With or without a vaccine. They hate when I say that but that's the way it is. ... We've done a phenomenal job. Not just a good job, a phenomenal job. Other than public relations, but that's because I have fake news. On public relations, I give myself a D. On the job itself, we take an A+." President Donald Trump, 9/21
"I think we’re rounding the turn very much." President Donald Trump, 9/23
October
“Don’t be afraid of Covid.” President Donald Trump, 10/5
"Under my leadership, we're delivering a safe vaccine and a rapid recovery like nobody can even believe. And if you look at our upward path, no country in the world has recovered the way we've recovered economically or otherwise, not even close." President Donald Trump, 10/12
“Excess mortality, we’re a winner on the excess mortality. And what we’ve done has been amazing. And we have done an amazing job. And it’s rounding the corner and we have the vaccines coming, and we have the therapies coming.” President Donald Trump, 10/15
“Our doctors get more money if someone dies from Covid,” and so “when in doubt choose Covid.” President Donald Trump, 10/30
November
“Joe Biden is promising to delay the vaccine and turn America into a prison state—locking you in your home while letting far-left rioters roam free. The Biden Lockdown will mean no school, no graduations, no weddings, no Thanksgiving, no Christmas, no Fourth of July” President Donald Trump, 11/2
“We have more Cases because we have more Testing!” President Donald Trump, 11/2