Ep 15. The Virus: What Went Wrong?

In the Frontline season 39 episode 15, entitled "The Virus: What Went Wrong?," the Covid-19 pandemic is explored and scrutinized. The documentary's purpose is to examine the United States' response to the pandemic while reflecting on the mistakes made that led to the chaos and devastation we all experienced.

As the episode begins, we are reminded of the early days of the pandemic. We see headlines from January 2020 that are filled with warnings from health experts on the dangers of the novel coronavirus. The documentary then shifts gear and takes us back in time to the year 2005. We are introduced to a group of leading health experts who, along with the US government, put in place a plan to prepare for an eventual pandemic. We learn that the plan was well constructed and it provided the US with a head start in identifying the spread of the virus.

Next, the show explains how the Trump administration dismantled many of these pandemic response systems. In 2018, the White House dissolved the National Security Council's global health security unit, created after the Ebola epidemic in 2014, which was responsible for coordinating responses to pandemics. The documentary examines why this happened, and we hear from experts who argue that the dismantlement of these critical systems fundamentally weakened the US's response to Covid-19.

"The Virus: What Went Wrong?" shines a light on the confusion and chaos that ensued once the pandemic reached US shores. There was a severe lack of coordination between the various government agencies responsible for handling the crisis. At the same time, President Trump was downplaying the severity of the situation. We see footage of his speeches at rallies where he claimed on multiple occasions that the virus was a hoax or would magically disappear.

The documentary goes on to look at the flawed response to Covid-19 and the political interference that compounded the problems. One of the most significant issues was the lack of available testing kits in the US. The episode explores this failure and how it impacted the country's ability to control the spread of the virus. We hear from doctors who reveal they couldn't get patients tested, ultimately leading to a surge of cases.

Moreover, the documentary also examines the impact of the Trump administration's defiance against public health measures such as mask mandates and social distancing guidelines. We see footage of governors who later regretted opening their states too early. Many experts point out that mixed messaging and a lack of concrete guidelines from the top down contributed to a confused public that didn't know what to believe.

Towards the end of the episode, we see how the pandemic devastated low-income and communities of color, which were disproportionately affected. It is heartbreaking to see hard-hit areas as the documentary reveals how those communities had a lack of access to resources and protection. The show also highlights the bravery of frontline workers, many of whom risked their lives to help others during the pandemic.

Overall, the "The Virus: What Went Wrong?" is an eye-opening docuseries that showcases how a combination of political interference and lack of preparedness contributed to the spread of the virus. It is a stark reminder that the pandemic was preventable to some extent, and it is vital to learn from our mistakes as we face other challenges in the future. It is an engaging and informative watch.