The Pandemic Could Have Been Over Much Sooner—If Not for the FDA

The pandemic isn't over—but it's over, at least in the United States. That's welcome. But it could have been over so much sooner if not for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Let's start with where we're at. After spiking over the winter, new coronavirus cases and deaths have both dropped dramatically—not to zero, but enough that, in combination with vaccines, local leaders are lifting many pandemic restrictions.

Even deep-blue cities and states that put in place the strictest pandemic restrictions are moving rapidly toward reopening. In Washington,...