Which points to a terrible handling of COVID19 by Trump. Given the low population density of the US, the rate should be similar to other low density areas like e.g. Norway and Finland, yet it is more than 10x higher.
The US has numbers comparable to high density countries with extensive use of public transport. That is just terrible outcomes for a country where everybody drives and live far apart.
US is a mix of High and Low Density, you can not just take the national population and divide by land mass to come up with how things "should have gone" with covid
Nor is is really fair to even judge the Federal response to it at all, as under our system of government health care is largely a State matter not a federal one.
Remember the United States is a Republic of 50 States, joined together under a common Defense and Monetary system.
I don't for see large scale changes in policy under a Biden Presidency, you may get stronger messaging but power of the President is largely limited outside of dispersing money, and maybe requiring manufacturers to make certain things if there is a national shortage
Masks Mandates, Lock Downs, etc will still fall under the purview of State Governors as this how our constitution divides the powers of the government
What’s the point of a government or a monetary and defence system if it doesn’t help protect health? Surely keeping citizens alive and well is about the most basic role of a government?
You would have to provide a stronger definition of what you mean by "help protect health"
If you mean full on authoritarian rules where by the government arbitrarily decides by executive fiat who is allowed to work, leave their home, engage in commerce, or other wise gather in any way for months.
I would say no that is not a proper role of a government in a free society that has any respect for civil or human rights...
The US has numbers comparable to high density countries with extensive use of public transport. That is just terrible outcomes for a country where everybody drives and live far apart.