States alone cannot compete against the forces of nature

State governments have mainly reacted to COVID-19 within their own borders. Their actions have routinely been accompanied by an emphasis on the protection of the nation and the national collective. However, as Marnie Howlett (LSE) argues, the non-discriminate nature of COVID-19, like any biological organism, underscores that the legal boundaries which demarcate states are social constructs that cannot compete against the forces of nature.