Start listening to science? Have you noticed any opposing views to existing treatments or procedures is 'verboten' in any form of social media or rabidly attacked by MSM, especially if there's the slimmest chance of 'win' for Trump? Discourse is forbidden, even by other experts in their perspective fields. There is an intimidating presence out there that if you have a counter argument, you may be 'canceled'.As a nation, we keep separating COVID and the economy, and thinking we have to choose one or the other ("the cure could be worse than the disease!"). We should be thinking about them in tandem- as in, the economy doesn't get fixed until the disease does.
First, let's erase the Left/right stuff from the larger conversation. When it comes to public health, we're Americans. That's it. We can pick up the fighting after that.
Massive upscale in testing/tracing for starters. Make sure they're accessible to everyone- not just those with means. If I can get a test shipped to my front door, there's no reason why everyone else can't.
For rapid testing, there are methods available that can be scaled today. let's do that. A good read here, if interested: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/...every-american-for-covid-19-every-day/615217/
Change the narrative around masks. IMO, looking out for each other is as patriotic as it gets. Right now, that means wearing a mask. That also means millions of people need to hear that from the GOP leadership. Let's stop being babies, throw the damn thing on for a few weeks, and get on with it.
Fix/rebuild the supply chain so that when this happens again-and it will- we actually stand a fighting chance.
Start listening to science and data again. No more using Facebook "hot takes" from someone we went to HS with as an information source.
Your article pretty much details the massive issues with pandemic responses. They key factor, here and elsewhere has been supply chain issues. First, global dependence on the Chinese has shown us about 'putting all our eggs in one basket' can have tragic results. What wasn't produced by China became quickly over taxed by global demand plus wanting to supply the home front at the same time. Third, here in the US, you have big government at the center......PPE issues and inventories are shelf life regulated in many cases, by the FDA. Many items have a limited shelf life for effectiveness and this results in low inventories. Add regulatory hurdles for tests, therapeutics and the like and here we are. Top that off with your state gov't taking a blase attitude of the odds of a pandemic happening are smaller than throwing out money for the 'what if'. Everyone seems to have this idea that the federal gov't has total responsibility to change our diapers.....well then , why are there state fema type units? They are the first line responder's in crisis preparation and response, to be assisted, when needed by the fed. Fed maintains critical stockpiles for backup, but they too fall under these shelf life issues too.
I saw some of the House hearings on the pandemic and the responses. Many blamed the last administration prior to their taking office. There probably is some merit in that, but I'd bet there is a common denominator of resistance to spending on PPE vs using the monies for much needed current problems, shelf life, and the chances of this happening.
The PCR test isn't the miracle, as your article points out. My doctor told me they aren't wasting their time on that, due to inaccuracy, the antibody test also. Several practitioners I know also had similar views.
Our testing is overtaxed now. Expanding it may sound like a great idea, but on the investment end, it's money that will be tossed out, only to sit idle in a year or two, if and when the virus is defeated. You can go 'my God man, people are dying' but there are realities.
This pandemic is in a relative infancy....7-10 months that we are aware of now. All these new tests are cited as being available, much like the time frames for vaccines, sept/oct sounds great but I guarantee there will be setbacks, inaccuracies, etc.
The mask issue.....makes me laugh. Mandate them everywhere anywhere. Yeah, right. Patriotic, yeah right. There hasn't been one time when out in public, that I haven't seen gross abuses in what they are intended to do. You will never stop that at all.
Nice article, BTW.