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The rapid development of stunningly effective American vaccines against all variants of the coronavirus is the most glorious scientific breakthrough of this century. Compared to what has been achieved by Pfizer and Moderna, the braggadocio space race among bored billionaires is akin to a 9-year-old pretending to circle the globe with a balsa wood airplane. But, alarmingly, the government’s vaccination drive has stalled. Only 67 percent of adults have received at least one dose of a vaccine, and only 59 percent are fully vaccinated. (Walter Shapiro, 7/13)

In what is now a pandemic of the unvaccinated, almost every adult American can make a choice not to die a needless death from Covid-19. But the task of persuading holdouts, skeptics and the merely disinterested to get their shots is being complicated by the further politicization of the pandemic -- a trend that will cost lives and exacerbate an already stark tragedy that has deepened the nation's ideological estrangement. (Stephen Collinson, 7/14)

Why are some Republican politicians suddenly turning against the coronavirus vaccines — and in at least one case, seemingly turning against vaccination in general? It seems to make no sense; it’s their own constituents who will suffer if their vaccination rates stay low. Indeed, that’s exactly what’s happening now, with more Republican states having the lowest vaccination rates and experiencing new surges of Covid-19. How can that work out for them? (Jonathan Bernstein, 7/14)

Last summer, when medical equipment was in short supply, a bipartisan group of governors from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin agreed to work in close coordination to share their resources in the fight against Covid-19 and to set standards for an economic reopening in the region. The idea was that if hospitals in Michigan lacked ventilators or personal protective equipment, they could borrow them from Illinois. Were they being good neighbors? Perhaps. But they were also recognizing the power of collaboration — a model for a new kind of institution at the regional level. After years of partisan gridlock, Washington has jumped back into exploring ambitious federal programs. But big programs help no one if they aren’t designed and carried out effectively. Unfortunately, the United States too often lacks the capacity to do exactly that. (Julius Krein, 7/14)

I was dashing into a grocery store the other day to pick up a few items. As I walked through the parking lot, I locked eyes with a pleasant-looking woman. She smiled at me, and I smiled back. Wait, something's wrong. I saw a smile. And she saw mine. I raced back to my car to grab one of the many masks I keep in the center console before going inside. I almost forgot the primary accessory I've been rocking for the past 15 months. Shame bullet dodged. Or was it?  (Suzette Hackney, 7/14)