Nine months into the pandemic, government leaders can’t comprehend — or refuse to clearly say — what this virus is or how it spreads. — Photo illustration: The Atlantic; source: Getty Images The United States has been overwhelmed by vectors of misinformation throughout the pandemic. But it’s not just Donald Trump, many Republican state leaders, and several thousand COVID-19 deniers who have waged a war against scientific comprehension. America’s virus illiteracy spans the partisan divide.