The function of cars can be served better by bicycles and public transport.
And no, smoke smell does not linger in open air. Molecules in air diffuse rapidly especially in moderately windy environments, I urge you to read up on basic physical chemistry if you don't believe me
The US had some of the highest rates of transmission and lowest uses of public transport when compared with Europe so I don't think that claim holds any water
Africa is not a single country, that is a sweeping statement, and based what I saw on the last time that I was in a particular city in a particular country in Africa, that statement is rubbish.
They were also taking many anti-COVID-transmission measures at the time. What I suspect is that African countries were less naïve about COVID - they had no expectations of being exceptional, of escaping unscathed, and had been impacted by other serious disease outbreaks in living memory, so they had more expectation that it was a real problem, but also one that could be mitigated.
And no, smoke smell does not linger in open air. Molecules in air diffuse rapidly especially in moderately windy environments, I urge you to read up on basic physical chemistry if you don't believe me