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Global Questions

Coronavirus: Focus on America

Duration: 26 minutes

First broadcast: on BBC WORLD NEWS EuropeLatest broadcast: on BBC WORLD NEWS Asia Pacific

The United States has a higher Coronavirus death toll than any other country in the world, with infection rates still dangerously high. To what extent can the blame be laid at the door of the White House? President Trump has consistently downplayed the impact of the virus. How badly could that hurt his chances of re-election in November? Or are individual states responsible? After all, they've handled lockdowns differently, with some governors prioritising the economy and an early return to work. Has the pandemic laid bare the fractures and fissures in American society, with the poor and ethnic minorities disproportionately hit? Experts claim countries like the USA have been particularly badly affected as they don't have a socialised health system (26 million US citizens still don't have health insurance). The economic and social consequences of the lockdown are taking their toll as Covid19 continues to wreak havoc. America was shaken by the death of Floyd George and the Black Lives Matter movement is gaining momentum. Could Coronavirus change America for good? Show less

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