Editorial: Winter of darkness ahead before the US sees some light

US President Donald Trump arrives in the Marine One helicopter at a campaign rally as supporters cheer in the Villages, Florida. Photo / AP

Many election choices are not clear-cut. There's often not much of a contrast between two positions and two people.

At Friday's final election debate, United States voters got two vastly different takes on the big issue of the year.

Former Vice-President Joe Biden said the US was heading into "a dark winter" without a clear plan on the pandemic while President Donald Trump said the country was "rounding the corner" and the Covid-19 coronavirus would "go away".

When Trump said "we're learning to live with it," Biden retorted that "we're learning to die with it".

The Democratic challenger was more accurate in his assessment than his Republican rival and their battles over covid have revealed a chasm in character between them. Biden emphasises practical ways to combat the virus now, while Trump dangles vaccine deliverance in a few months.

Scientists have been predicting a surge for some time. On Saturday the Covid Tracking Project reported 83,010 new cases in the US. The previous record for one day was 77,000 in July.

Hospitalisations and deaths are now rising again as well, although daily fatalities are half the peaks seen in April.

Healthcare workers have been able to lower mortality rates through increased knowlege of the virus and medical approaches. Two studies show a drop in deaths in all groups, including older patients and those with underlying conditions.

The record worldwide for daily infections is held by India with 97,890 on September 17. In Europe, France has become the second country in the region to pass a million cases after Spain, with 42,030 new cases in one day.

Such problems dwarf New Zealand's issues - apparent in the new cluster - of loopholes over our port workers and international shipping crews, amid calls for stricter rules. Still, we can fortunately deal with isolated problems as they arise rather than be swamped by a tsunami of infections.

The colder weather in the Northern Hemisphere will mean more indoor living ahead - the best spreading conditions for the coronavirus.

After months of struggle, 8.5 million cases and 224,000 deaths in the US, Biden has a grasp of what's required to turn the situation around. But even if he wins the US election in 10 days, he would not pick up the reins until mid-January.

On Saturday he restated his plans which include working with Congress on an economic relief package for people, businesses and states by the end of January. He would push governors and mayors to implement mask mandates.

A new study in Nature finds if 85 per cent of Americans wore masks, 95,000 people could be saved. A Columbia University study estimated that at least 130,000 US deaths could have been avoided "with earlier policy interventions and more robust federal coordination and leadership".

Yet Trump, holding yet another crowded rally in Florida with few masks in sight, insisted that "we're entering the final turn and approaching the light at the end of the tunnel".

The President has held dozens of rallies in the past two months. USA Today reported that virus cases grew at a faster rate than before after at least five.

Trump can point to growing confidence that there will be vaccines available soon. AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson have gained approval from regulators to resume their US trials.

There's a lot of darkness to go through before Northern Hemisphere countries see some light.