[magnus]

While I honestly don't wish COVID-19 on anyone, if one of the major political figures got sick, was put on a respirator, and died, I wonder if that would be the kick in the pants that many people need.   Maybe it really would take a sports figure or some other celebrity (outside of the political realm) to go through that.

That more or less kicked off the USA awareness when the NBA had their outbreak.

NBA and America's dad, Tom Hanks.

That said, has a single impactful figure (ingrained in society's conscious) been hospitalized by Covid-19?  I think we hear too many stories of "I got it.  It's serious, everyone", but it's just talk and they recover in a couple weeks with seemingly no adverse affects.  Probably reinforces the conception that it's no big deal, just another flu.

[magnus]

While I honestly don't wish COVID-19 on anyone, if one of the major political figures got sick, was put on a respirator, and died, I wonder if that would be the kick in the pants that many people need.   Maybe it really would take a sports figure or some other celebrity (outside of the political realm) to go through that.

That more or less kicked off the USA awareness when the NBA had their outbreak.

NBA and America's dad, Tom Hanks.

That said, has a single impactful figure (ingrained in society's conscious) been hospitalized by Covid-19?  I think we hear too many stories of "I got it.  It's serious, everyone", but it's just talk and they recover in a couple weeks with seemingly no adverse affects.  Probably reinforces the conception that it's no big deal, just another flu.