Viewpoints: Lessons On Reopening Schools, Staying Home To Celebrate, Learning From Lockdowns
Opinion writers weigh in on these pandemic topics and others.
The Washington Post:
We Need A Marshall Plan For Our Schools. And We Need It Now.
It’s time to treat the dire situation facing public school students with the same federal mobilization we have come to expect for other national emergencies, such as floods, wildfires and hurricanes. A major, coordinated nationwide effort — imagine a Marshall Plan for schools — is needed to return children to public schools quickly in the safest way possible. (Richard Carranza, Austin Beutner and Janice Jackson, 12/13)
USA Today:
COVID Christmas Doctor's Orders: Don't Travel. Stay Home And Stay Safe.
In many ways, this nightmarish year has been defined by isolation and loneliness. My heart broke for my 80-year patient, a devoted father and grandfather, as he lay dying from COVID-19, alone in his hospital room. To limit the spread of the lethal virus, he was surrounded only by the beeping machines and an iPad broadcasting his last moments to his family. My heart breaks for the families who are missing one of the nearly 300,000 people who have died this year from COVID-19. These hundreds of thousands of people will be missing from dinners and celebrations this bittersweet holiday season. Unfortunately, these families do not have a choice: Their Christmas and holidays will be smaller and lonelier. But for those of us who do, we must voluntarily choose to keep our holiday celebrations smaller, limited only to immediate household members, so that our future celebrations are not scarred by the death of loved ones. (Thomas K. Lew, 12/13)
The Washington Post:
Lockdowns Are Coming Again. This Time, We Know Better How To Make The Most Of Them.
Here come the lockdown restrictions again. All across the United States, public officials are imposing limits on people congregating in order to combat the pandemic. Much of Southern California, the San Joaquin Valley and the Bay Area is shut down. New restrictions are being imposed in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and some Maryland counties. The measures are painful, but we know much more today than we did in March about how the virus spreads and ways to mitigate it, at least until a vaccine arrives. Those lessons must be applied in new shutdowns to protect public health and shield so much else that’s vulnerable, including the economy, schools and the health-care system. (12/12)
The Washington Post:
Airborne Transmission, Not Surfaces, Is The Bigger Covid-19 Problem
We don’t have a single documented case of covid-19 transmission from surfaces. Not one. So why, then, are we spending a small fortune to deep clean our offices, schools, subways and buses? Business leaders, school districts and government officials often ask us whether people are over-cleaning in response to the pandemic. The short answer is yes. The reality is that the novel coronavirus spreads mainly through the air. Especially with regular hand-washing, there’s no need to constantly disinfect surfaces. (Joseph G. Allen, Charles Haas and Linsey C. Marr, 12/11)
CNN:
Donald Trump Engages In Self-Sabotage Ahead Of Historic Vaccine Rollout
As the first doses of a coronavirus vaccine are prepared for shipment to communities across the United States, President Donald Trump has an opportunity to mark a historic milestone for science -- and show some semblance of leadership in curbing the spread of Covid-19 as the number of US cases crosses 16 million. Instead, he is engaged in self-sabotage, distracting Americans from that great accomplishment for his administration by spreading more election disinformation while questioning whether to fire Attorney General William Barr, in part, because Barr did not inform Trump of the federal investigation into the business dealings of Hunter Biden, the son of President-elect Joe Biden, before the election. (Maeve Reston, 12/13)
CNN:
The Best Way To Hold A Covid-Era Inauguration
It's time to change the presidential inauguration. As January 20 nears, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies is trying to figure out the best way to commemorate the transfer of power during a pandemic. "The health and safety of our guests is a top priority. This includes the implementation of a layered approach in terms of health and safety measures," the committee said. (Julian Zelizer, 12/12)
