Mormad said:
I can't assume the answers are there and they're just being withheld from the world for some secondary gain issue. I don't think anybody knows the answer. Given a lack of durable equipment in the short run and a lack of confirmed effective treatment or vaccine, the current measures seem to me to buy the necessary time to make such things happen. Again, the downside risk if the ones who fight for quick return to normalcy are mistaken seems too great
My view is the government got this one shot at a total economic and society shutdown and during it, they need to accomplish the following:
1. Flatten the curve, reduce the stress on the capacity of the healthcare systems, and minimize deaths.
2. Provide time for the healthcare system to develop fast, effective testing methodologies and potential treatments.
3. Put in place plans to operate the economy and all industries at close to normal levels. This is where Test-and-Trace has to be implemented.
If the government, healthcare experts, and the testing industry only does #1, partially does #2, and does not do #3, they will have failed to make full utilization of the shutdown. In my personal view, this was the government's one shot to do all three things and when the death curves flatten out and the demand for healthcare returns to more normal levels, the economy has to reopen and to keep it reopened, they have to implement #3.
If the government fails to implement #3, people will not be willing to go the total shutdown route when the next wave hits. I hope the really smart people are currently working on #3 now, so we will be ready to implement it in a couple of months.
Personally, I do not think the news media (both nationally and at the state/local level) are doing enough to ask about #3. They seem to be too focused on reporting on current deaths and looking for people to blame. In the press briefings (both federal and more specifically the state level) they need to be focusing questions on what the plans are to implement #3. I keep hearing the NC governor complain that they do not have enough testing capacity. He needs to be explain why and then identify what is being done to remedy the why.