As to slowing the spread of covid and decreasing its impact one need only compare US deaths per million vs Japan's, ~3500 vs 550.

Exactly.

That’s what happens when the president of the country gets his “facts” about vaccinations and pandemics from the conspiracy laden bowels of right wing news, and enough people believe him to frustrate sane measures to combat the spread of a deadly virus.

The insanity that prevailed (and is obviously still believed by many) killed several hundred thousand more people than it would have otherwise.

You don’t have to establish death camps in order to kill Americans. In the grips of a deadly pandemic, all you have to do is give them false information.

In county after county in this country, after the vaccines became available <for which Trump deserves some credit) those counties with the lowest vaccination rates suffered the highest deaths per capita.

And Trump spent the remainder of his first term blowing up public health measures and demonizing public health officials. Hell, he’s still doing that, assisted by his cadre of suck-ups and incompetents.

What happens the next time someone gets off a plane from Africa and tests positive for Ebola? Obama’s CDC handled it competently the last time that happened and the potential crisis was contained.

Next year, Avian flu will have another opportunity to have a go at us, as it patiently unlocks the pathway to human to human transmission. Our current leadership at the helm of any response we might mount is completely incapable of meeting that threat.

On a positive note, though measles continues to spread, parents in Texas actually ARE getting their kids vaccinated.