John Elflein
Research expert covering health and health care
Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the U.S. - Statistics & Facts
COVID-19, short for the coronavirus disease 2019, has spread to almost every country and territory around the world, infecting millions of people and severely impacting the global economy. As of May 2, 2023, the number of COVID-19 cases worldwide had reached over 687 million. In addition, the number of deaths from COVID-19 was over 6.86 million. The United States is the country with the highest number of confirmed cases and deaths. The U.S. government’s overall response to the pandemic has been criticized, and state governments have also come under fire for enforcing rules that were not tough enough and lifting restrictions too early. However, the country’s vaccination rollout has been a success, with the U.S. one of the countries with the highest number of vaccinations administered worldwide.
In order to revive local economies, many states began lifting lockdown restrictions and reopening at the end of May 2020, despite warnings that it was still too early. The second wave of infection was brought under control in the summer, but the number of new daily COVID-19 cases surged in the second half of the year. The government has faced criticism, especially in the first year of the pandemic, with many pointing to contradictory statements from the White House regarding the severity of the outbreak and a general lack of leadership and guidance. A Statista survey that ran from March to May 2020 found that U.S. adults were consistently less satisfied with their government’s response to COVID-19 than their counterparts in Germany and the United Kingdom.
For further information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, please visit our dedicated Facts and Figures page.
The U.S. government’s response to COVID-19
As of April 26, 2023, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the United States had reached over 104.5 million, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Testing for the virus ran into some early problems when initial diagnostic kits from the CDC were found to be defective. However, the number of COVID-19 tests performed in the United States has reached 1.1 billion, which is the most of any country. Reacting to the rising number of cases at the start of 2020, many states encouraged self-isolation and working from home. To further prevent the spread of the virus, most states also closed bars and restaurants, canceled public events, and banned large gatherings. At the end of March 2020, it was estimated that over 90 percent of the U.S. population was under some kind of stay-at-home order.In order to revive local economies, many states began lifting lockdown restrictions and reopening at the end of May 2020, despite warnings that it was still too early. The second wave of infection was brought under control in the summer, but the number of new daily COVID-19 cases surged in the second half of the year. The government has faced criticism, especially in the first year of the pandemic, with many pointing to contradictory statements from the White House regarding the severity of the outbreak and a general lack of leadership and guidance. A Statista survey that ran from March to May 2020 found that U.S. adults were consistently less satisfied with their government’s response to COVID-19 than their counterparts in Germany and the United Kingdom.
The COVID-19 vaccination rollout
The COVID-19 vaccination campaign that began in December 2020 can be counted as a victory. There are currently four vaccines approved for distribution and administration in the United States. These are the vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, Novavax, and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen. According to the CDC, the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the United States had reached over 675 million as of April 26, 2023. The states that have administered the highest number of vaccinations are California, Texas, and New York. The share of the U.S. population fully vaccinated against COVID-19 has reached around 69 percent. However, the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories has played a major role in many people's decision not to get vaccinated. In a survey from January 2021, the proportion of adult Americans who stated they would not get a COVID-19 vaccine was just over 20 percent.Deaths caused by COVID-19
The number of COVID-19 deaths in the United States had reached over 1.16 million as of May 2, 2023. In the first year of the pandemic, the disease killed more people in the U.S. than influenza, strokes, suicides, and car crashes do in a typical year, combined, making COVID-19 the third leading cause of death in 2020 and 2021, behind heart disease and cancer. The disease is far worse than many first thought: According to a survey from March 2020, U.S. public opinion on the expected number of COVID-19 fatalities was way off the mark, with only 12 percent of adults believing more than 10,000 people would die in the U.S. over the next year. At the end of that month, the White House’s coronavirus task force estimated between 100,000 and 200,000 Americans could die – the actual death toll has been far greater. The elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions are more vulnerable to the illness, which is clearly visible when looking at the distribution of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. by age.Which states have been most affected by COVID-19?
States have reported significant differences in rates of cases and deaths. The impact of COVID-19 on New York has been substantial, particularly during the early months of the pandemic. However, California, Texas, and Florida have now reported the highest number of cases in the United States. Moreover, COVID-19 case rates in the U.S. by state show that Rhode Island, Alaska, and Kentucky have been hit hardest. Death rates are highest in Arizona and Mississippi, although California has reported the highest number of total deaths.The economic impact of COVID-19 in the U.S.
The impact of COVID-19 on the global economy has been significant, and the United States has not escaped the damage caused. The unemployment rate reached almost 15 percent in April 2020, although by mid-2022 it had dropped to almost pre-pandemic levels. To mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the U.S. economy, the government has enacted six major bills, totaling around 5.7 trillion U.S. dollars. The latest bill was signed into law by President Biden on March 11, 2021. The American Rescue Plan Act provided 1.9 trillion U.S. dollars in relief in various forms, including direct payments to individuals, direct aid to local and state governments, and an extension to unemployment benefits. A March 2021 survey found that a sizeable share of U.S. adults supported the economic relief package.For further information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, please visit our dedicated Facts and Figures page.
