Meghan McCain says she wondered 'whether the last days of American greatness were finally upon us' while sick with COVID


Meghan McCain is opening up about her COVID-19 battle, describing the "sad and pessimistic" thoughts she had after getting far sicker than she expected.
In a column for the Daily Mail on Wednesday, the former co-host of The View said she and her husband both tested positive for COVID-19 several weeks ago. But McCain writes that her case "wasn't mild" and was "much rougher than I anticipated," given that both she and her husband are vaccinated. Their 15-month-old daughter didn't get sick, she said.
"My husband and I got very sick — more sick than the 'mild Omicron' headlines and Twitter streams suggested," McCain wrote. "I am still now, a few weeks out from testing positive, waking up feeling the aftereffects of a cold in my throat, getting fatigued easily, and unable to taste food or smell anything normally. I have been lighting candles all over the house waiting for this to change."'
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
McCain writes that she is "still fearful of the unknown long-term side effects that I may experience," and she reflects on experiencing the "most sad and pessimistic moments that I have ever felt" while sick with COVID-19. She also criticizes the Biden administration for its response to the pandemic and the fact that at-home COVID-19 tests were not more readily available during the Omicron surge.
"Why is it so hard to get an at-home Covid test?" McCain writes. "In isolation, I started ruminating as to whether the last days of American greatness were finally upon us, like so many pundits have been circulating over the past few years. For a pandemic that is in its third year, shouldn't we have more readily available treatment and testing?"
McCain goes on to argue that the president's "feckless, moronic, isolated Titanic of an administration gets the blame" for this, calling for an "intense and immediate shift away from whatever depression this administration is continuing to let the country experience."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
October 13 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Monday's political cartoons include Donald Trump's consolation prize, government workers during shutdown, and more
-
Can Gaza momentum help end the war in Ukraine?
Today's Big Question Zelenskyy’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles hints at ‘warming relations’ between Ukraine and US
-
The Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners being released
The Explainer Triumphant Donald Trump addresses the Israeli parliament as families on both sides of the Gaza war reunite with their loved ones
-
Trump DOJ indicts New York AG Letitia James
Speed Read New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted as Trump’s Justice Department pursues charges against his political opponents
-
Judge blocks Trump’s Guard deployment in Chicago
Speed Read The president is temporarily blocked from federalizing the Illinois National Guard or deploying any Guard units in the state
-
Trump urges jail for Illinois, Chicago leaders
Speed Read The Texas National Guard begin operations in the Chicago area
-
Bondi stonewalls on Epstein, Comey in Senate face-off
Speed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi denied charges of using the Justice Department in service of Trump’s personal vendettas
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats