Editorial Opinion from the WashPost: One million died. It didn’t have to happen — and it must not again. Powerful piece from the editors of the WashPost.
Another opinion piece from a WashPost writer, on May 11: Bill Gates’ new book on How to Prevent the Next Pandemic.
Claire:-
Despite the seemingly-obligatory blaming of Trump, this was truly a bi-partisan failure. While Trump’s communications were certainly squirrelly [to be kind], he did take action to try to limit the entrance of the possibly-infected very early on (Jan 2020). At the time, he was roundly criticized by the MSM and the Dems – remember Pelosi in Chinatown? DT was also responsible for getting the vaccines years sooner than “business as usual.” However, the politicization of the crisis led the current VP declare her hesitancy to take a shot of “Trump’s rushed vaccine.” Certainly many anti-vaxxers on the right, but one of the little-reported stats was broad hesitancy of Blacks and Hispanics as well.
However, as you know, very early on I began calling out the CDC over its abysmal crisis communications. I also called for a commission to help learn from all of the mistakes that were made AND from the positive actions taken by other countries [Sweden took a very different tack, which minimized the virus’s impacts].
What I didn’t recognize at the time was just how big a disaster this would become. If this was another Katrina, we’d be awash in recovery planning and actions. As far as I can tell, we still don’t have anything like a coherent plan for recovering from the covid disaster – repairing the damage to our educational and social systems, especially. WaPo’s recommendations are solid whatever the rhetoric they’re based on, but implementation of a well-thought-out recovery plan should also be included.
They should call on our Diva to tell them how to do it right [or should I say correctly?]!
I agree that some well thought out pandemic plans are needed, but I am not the one to advise. Presently Congress is delaying attention and funding for what looks like a resurgence this summer. How do we overcome their reluctance to act?