Why Republican-voting states began with better Covid-19 outcomes but were hit harder as the pandemic unfolded

Although COVID-19 has affected the entire United States, a careful look at the data shows persistent differences across the country. As with other infectious diseases, COVID-19 has thrived in the densest areas. Locations with more vulnerable populations have also suffered disproportionately. How the disease has spread across the US has had important political consequences. Klaus Desmet and Romain Wacziarg write that the initially smaller impact of COVID-19 in Republican-leaning counties may have led to laxer attitudes towards the disease, contributing to more dire outcomes in those areas over the longer run: Republican voting counties have had a higher number of deaths compared to those which voted differently.