The United States could have saved 36,000 lives had it instituted widespread anti-coronavirus measures around March 7, a week earlier than most states and cities did, a study from Columbia University found. Two weeks earlier, and 54,000 coronavirus victims would still be alive, researchers estimated. The pandemic devastated cities and shocked the American economy in a matter of weeks. The lead epidemiologist on the study, Jeffrey Shaman, told The New York Times, “It’s a big, big difference. That small moment in time, catching it in that growth phase, is incredibly critical in reducing the number of deaths.”