Covid Wars

America's Struggle Over Public Health and Personal Freedom

Non-Fiction - Gov/Politics
394 Pages
Reviewed on 03/15/2025
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

Covid Wars: America's Struggle Over Public Health and Personal Freedom by Ronald Gruner discusses the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning with historical precedents like the 1918 Spanish Flu and President Bush's pandemic preparedness efforts in the 2000s. Gruner traces the evolution of virology, from the discovery of viruses by Ivanovsky and Beijerinck to the rapid spread of COVID-19. He details President Trump’s handling of the crisis, Operation Warp Speed, and the mixed messaging that fueled division. People like Dr. Scott W. Atlas, Gavin Newsom, and Dr. Deborah Birx are central to debates over lockdowns and public health mandates. Gruner also talks about vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, and conspiracy theories, and speaks on how state policies, such as those in South Dakota and Vermont, led to varying death rates. Gruner examines the broader social and economic impacts, including unemployment, education disruption, and partisan divides in managing public health measures.

Ronald Gruner’s Covid Wars is a sharp, persuasive analysis of America’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing all that shaped the course of the crisis. Gruner’s writing is authoritative and accessible, and he's able to break some pretty complex topics down so they are straightforward and succinct. For me, given that my wife had a first cousin who died at the age of 22, not from COVID-19, but in a fatal car accident during lockdown, I was most impacted by his look at the phenomenon of "deaths of despair," which is primarily about COVID deaths caused by drug overdoses and suicides, but also vehicular casualties. I thought his critiques of the governmental failures at both the federal and state levels, especially the contrast between Republican states focused on personal freedom and Democratic states prioritizing public health measures, are the most insightful I have come across so far. Overall, Gruner's book is a solid, eye-opening reflection on how the pandemic exposed many of America’s deepest fractures, making it a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the long-lasting impacts of the crisis. Very highly recommended.

K.C. Finn

Covid Wars by Ronald Gruner is a meticulously researched examination of America's response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The book highlights its many failures and the lasting impact on public health, economic stability, and national unity. Through a precise and analytical lens, the writer explores the difference between personal freedoms and collective responsibility, shedding light on the actions that led the country into widespread loss and economic problems. Gruner challenges his readers to reflect on the lessons that must be learned so they can prevent future crises, and so the work is both a historical record and a call for accountability. The book also traces the evolution of different policies about the pandemic across many different levels of government. It sticks to the facts and allows readers to draw their own conclusions about this consequential time in American history.

Author Ronald Gruner has an impressive ability to bring together complex political and public health issues in a way that makes sense without overwhelming the reader with technical jargon. His thorough research and data-driven approach give the book credibility and make it a valuable piece of historical analysis. It's the kind of book we can relate to right now, but that will also be useful for future historians to understand decisions and attitudes at the time. I found the discussions to be particularly valuable, as this allows for various political perspectives of the facts without partisan issues getting in the way. The book also successfully balances a necessary critique of institutional failures with constructive insight about potential reforms, prompting meaningful discussions about governance and policy that extend into broader questions about how societies should prepare for and respond to large-scale public health emergencies that touch every aspect of civic life. Overall, Covid Wars provides an essential perspective on a defining global crisis and I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in the subject.

Keana Sackett-Moomey

Covid Wars by Ronald Gruner discusses the political disunity, loss of human life, and hardships America faced during a highly distressing epoch in its history—the Covid-19 pandemic. Gruner's book highlights the evolution of viruses, the origin of the Covid-19 virus, and the socio-political factors that made its containment and eradication difficult. Gruner provides incredible insight into the government's response (and the public's reciprocation) to the many health and socioeconomic concerns of its citizens. These responses further resulted in a high nationwide death rate, division among Americans regarding their faith in the political and health sectors, and a staggering increase in unemployment. This book allows readers to draw their own conclusions on who bears the responsibility for the tragic prevalence of the Covid-19 pandemic in America in 2020.

Covid Wars by Ronald Gruner is a thorough historical rundown of Covid-19 in the United States. In this bold and meticulously researched book, the author provides a wealth of facts and data that precisely analyzes the country's response to the pandemic. Through rigorous research, the author presents the astonishing reality of what transpired during the fateful 2020 viral outbreak. Political division, inefficient policy developments, misinformation from the media and government agencies, and the enforcement of specific public health measures are just some of the many factors that perpetuated the Covid-19 virus in America. The information will, without a doubt, linger in the minds of readers. Relevant, provocative, and thoughtful, Covid Wars is essential reading for anyone seeking insight into why specific Covid-19 responses failed, as well as what can be done differently when faced with future possible viral outbreaks. I highly recommend this thought-provoking book.

David Jaggart

In Covid Wars, Ronald Gruner critically examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the United States. Using data and in-depth research, the author carefully scrutinizes the many events that led to America's struggling attempt to address this nationwide crisis. From a historical standpoint, Gruner also assesses the federal government’s response to other viral epidemics like the Spanish Flu and the Asian Flu to highlight its shortcomings in strategically alleviating the impact of these other epidemics on the American population. Gruner's research reveals that ineffective Covid responses, political divisions, the public's distrust in the effectiveness of America's healthcare systems, and Covid-related propaganda led to countless deaths and crippled the workforce and economy during that catastrophic period. This book is certainly an eye-opener on the subject.

Covid Wars is a worthwhile read! It does a fantastic job of dissecting the expansive collateral damage that ill-informed COVID-19 decision-making had on the U.S. Gruner has written a well-researched, accessible, and poignant book that gives a broad, follow-up account of the effects of COVID-19 on America's political, social, and economic responses to this global threat. This book creates an opportunity for deep introspection regarding the challenging issues that unfolded, policy approaches implemented, and essential lessons that can be learned during that period. In a thought-provoking manner, Gruner's book not only records the inadequate actions that proved detrimental to human life but also a breach of human rights. The contents should serve as a decisive warning to politicians and citizens who do not want to reprise the unfortunate but avoidable events experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. I highly recommend it!

Jefto Pierre

Ronald Gruner's Covid Wars painstakingly probes the factors that caused the US to flounder during its national response to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the statistics, during the pandemic, the US experienced the highest rise in nationwide debt since World War II, poor academic performance, high school dropout rates, the worst job loss since the Great Depression, and more COVID mortality than all its foreign wars combined. What was the cause of America's poor response and management of the COVID pandemic? The answer lies in several shocking factors--the primary ones being mixed messages from the White House on proper health practices, political dissension, misinformation from the media, and disinformation perpetuated by individuals who did not see the importance of lockdowns, social distancing, wearing masks, and getting vaccinated.

Covid Wars is a flawless, data-driven report of the catastrophic fallout resulting from America's multifaceted approach to confronting the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Ronald Gruner's book is both edifying and thought-provoking. Filled with detailed evidence, this book challenges readers to analyze the truth behind the COVID-19 pandemic and the various measures executed in its name. It offers readers the chance to unbiasedly explore the public health responses that worked (and did not work) to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Division and skepticism among the government, media personnel, red and blue states, and citizens across America all compromised public and personal health. This book is an incredible resource for policymakers, government officials, and the average reader. It reveals that Americans must come together, accept some hard truths, capitalize on what worked, and become better equipped for future multinational emergencies.