Parsing Policies: No Wonder Weakened Government Health Agencies Have Failed; Lessons on Wearing Masks, Staying Home
Opinion writers weigh in on these pandemic topics and others.
Politico:
Trump Broke The Agencies That Were Supposed To Stop The Covid-19 Epidemic
[Surgeon General Jerome] Adams’ metaphor of this as our new “9/11 moment” is more apt than he likely intended: Comparing the events is about more than just a story of casualties—it is also a story about government’s failure. Both Pearl Harbor and the 9/11 attacks occurred, in part, because the U.S. government and intelligence failed to see the attacks looming. We were caught unprepared, and Americans paid for that mistake with their lives. After 9/11, we swore to never let that happen again. “Never again” was the mantra handed down to the nation’s leaders by George W. Bush in the White House on September 12. (Garrett M. Graff, 4/7)
The New York Times:
For Coronavirus, Trump Is Not The Wartime President We Need
Donald Trump declared himself a “wartime president” just three weeks ago. On Twitter, he proclaimed “WE WILL WIN THIS WAR.” At last, he seemed to grasp the gravity of the Covid-19 crisis facing the world. Bluster aside, Mr. Trump is correct: This is war, the most consequential since World War II, and he is in charge. Unfortunately, few of his actions display the leadership we need from a wartime commander in chief who is confronting a viral version of World War III. (Susan E. Rice, 4/7)
CNN:
Why Trump Doesn't Want To Wear A Mask
The new symbol of patriotism in pandemic-stricken America is a medical mask. And no surprise that President Donald Trump -- ever the defiant and self-involved Baby Boomer -- says he would only wear one if he "thought it was important." At a press Friday, he said "I think wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens, I don't know. Somehow, I don't see it for myself," adding, "I just don't." (Michael D'Antonio, 4/7)
Boston Globe:
Why A Traumatized Nation Is Having Trouble Staying Home
Given the current wartime reality in health care facilities battling COVID-19, it can be difficult to understand why all of us are not taking social distancing and stay-at-home measures more seriously. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently called group gatherings in Central Park “insensitive . . . arrogant . . . [and] self-destructive,” channeling his anger and frustration at seemingly uncaring citizens. But while anger and blame are understandable reactions to people who are not heeding the public health call, they don’t help us understand or change individual behavior — or make it more likely for people to follow the restrictions that we all need to follow in order to safeguard thousands or even millions of lives. (Benjamin Herbstman and Holly Blatman, 4/7)
CNN:
Southern Governors' Bizarre Response To Covid-19
My 15-year-old daughter Lyric noted how flimsy she thought the barriers blocking public beach access seemed. The aluminum barriers stood just a few feet high and could be felled by a brisk wind gust. It would be easy for just about anyone to climb over or walk around. They were placed up and down the oceanfront in South Carolina after Gov. Henry McMaster ordered public beach accesses closed. At that time, he declined to implement a statewide stay-at-home plan, giving us the distinction of being one of a dwindling number of states to not be under such an order. (Issac Bailey, 4/7)
Stat:
A Doctor And A Deli Manager: Essential Personnel In Covid-19 Fight
In the morning, my fiance and I wake up, get dressed for work, blow each other a socially distanced kiss goodbye and head off into what feels like a battle.I work in a hospital. When I get there, I don my armor: scrubs, a mask, a gown, and gloves. He works in a supermarket deli. His armor: a hairnet and an apron. Although our battle grounds are vastly different, in many ways they are the same. (Michelle Myles, 4/8)
The New York Times:
Italy Is Sending Another Warning
Everyone knows Italy’s story by now. The first European nation to be hit hard by the coronavirus, it has become a harbinger for the rest of Europe and America. First, there was the lockdown. Then the sight of a health care system stretched to the point of collapse and the terror of a rising death count. Now, nearly a month after the country went into lockdown, Italy is sending another warning. The economy is in trouble, bound for a major contraction. And the precariously situated workers — self-employed, seasonal, informal — are suffering the most. It’s not clear how much longer they can survive. (Bethan Jones and Fabio Montale, 4/7)
Boston Globe:
We Need Health Security, Not Just Health Care
The immediate global priority is to slow the spread of COVID-19 to save lives and to allow time for a viable vaccine to be developed. But the pandemic must also prompt a fundamental shift in our thinking toward health security. Health security means thinking about threats to health and how to combat them, not simply responding once people are already sick. This mindset shift is the prerequisite for any determination never again to allow a global pandemic to take hold. (Noubar Afeyan and Ara Darzi, 4/8)
The New York Times:
Late In The Game, Russia Steps Up To Covid-19
“I was stuck at home for too long, had to go for a ride,” a friend from Moscow shouted into his phone several weeks ago, trying to outyell the noise around him on a trip, it turned out, to St. Petersburg. “We’re going to hit a bar here and get some drinks, will call.” He then disappeared from the video chat, in which I could see people behind him, walking along a familiar St. Petersburg street. I get very different dispatches from friends who live in a small town in Italy. There they stay home and tell me about relentless police raids against wanderers in the streets. A friend in Berlin says it is OK to go out, but not to gather in groups of more than two. (Maxim Trudolyubov, 4/7)
Cincinnati Enquirer:
Protecting Civil Rights During And After COVID-19 Pandemic
What values are driving the government response to the COVID-19 pandemic? Are the virus-related measures burdening the civil rights of the communities we serve in our law practice in a fair and equitable manner compared to the majority population? Are we honoring our commitment to equal protection and non-discrimination? We see mixed results, and we see some useful lessons for our community post-pandemic. (Al Gerhardstein and Jennifer Branch, 4/6)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
We Can Increase Transparency On COVID-19 And Still Respect Privacy
Narrow restriction of local information about confirmed cases of COVID-19 begs the question: What is the appropriate balance between protecting an individual’s identity and the public’s right to information during a public health crisis? The Georgia Department of Public Health — like many state health departments — provides daily updates on confirmed COVID cases, broken down by county. While these numbers and how they change over time are informative, Georgians are eager to know more, specifically how the coronavirus is manifesting in their communities. (Clare Norins, 4/7)
