Mediaboss Marketing

Matt Kroenig: Hi, Emma! After a month in lockdown, I have become a Zoom master and I am finally finding a quarantine routine that works for me.

Emma Ashford: I cant do Zoom video calls any more, not since I did my own quarantine haircut on Saturday. Its OK, Im sure it will grow out in a few weeks. For now, I just put up a This is fine background where the room is entirely on fire.

MK: Speaking of fires, a few weeks ago the Democratic Party seemed to be suffering from a giant self-inflicted dumpster fire, but now it appears to be getting its act together. The old joke is that Democrats fall in love and Republicans fall in line, but now it is the Democrats who have fallen in line behind Joe Biden.

EA: Youre right about the Democratic Party. Every talking head said theyd be in chaos until June or August, but within the span of a few days, Bernie Sanders dropped out of the presidential race, and his heartfelt endorsement of Joe Biden was followed up by Barack Obamas endorsement the next day. Seems like theyve got their act together for sure. Were you surprised?

MK: A bit. But in hindsight, Sanders had no real path to the nomination, so this was the right move for him and the party, to line up behind the person with the best chance of defeating Donald Trump in November.

EA: I was pleased to see that the Biden campaign also invited staffers from the Sanders campaign to join and work with them on key issues, including foreign policy. I think that bodes well for the future of Democratic foreign policy, which is undergoing a generational shift.

MK: True, that is a healthy sign. The rift between Hillary Clinton and Obama lasted throughout the Obama administration, and the Never Trump movement continues to divide Republicans.

EA: Well, he did make her his secretary of state! One of his worst decisions, I think. I have no doubt that wed be in a better place on foreign policy today if Clinton wasnt in the Obama administration advocating her brand of hawkish internationalism. No intervention in Libya, for a start.

MK: I meant more the rift between the staffs. Obama aides werent happy to see their jobs go to Clintons people at State. And I was reassured that Robert Gates at the Pentagon and Clinton were present to stiffen the spine of the Obama White House on Iran sanctions, the Osama bin Laden raid, and a host of other issues.

But Democratic unity might not be enough. The election will be a referendum on Trumps handling of the coronavirus, and I think Democrats are too confident that the publics judgement will go in their favor in November.

EA: Except hes handling the coronavirus about as well as he handles criticism. The president spends his time ranting at governors about what they can and cant do, while his administration steals supplies out from under hard-hit states to send them to places like Florida that he thinks will win him reelection.

And I doubt even that will work. An incumbents reelection chances have so much to do with the economy, and were staring down the barrel of a double-digit recession here. Unemployment claims continue to grow, with another 5 million this week. Actually, I think a lot of Democratsparticularly a lot of Sanders supportersare going to see this as a vindication of their worldview.

MK: How so?

EA: Well, weve had Sanders and others advocating for Medicare for All, for example, in an era where millions of Americans are about to lose their jobsand by extension, their health care. And universal basic income was a fringe idea when Andrew Yang raised it in the campaign a few months ago, but the same idea basically turned into the stimulus package that Congress passed recently with Republican support. Im still not convinced that this is a vindication of Sanderss ideas as much as an acknowledgement that an unprecedented situation has required unprecedented solutions, but his supporters wont think that.

MK: Interesting point. But I think there is a difference in the need for an outsize government role in the middle of a crisis compared to normal political times. And despite the criticisms of the White House briefings, the U.S. government has been the single most important global actor in this crisis.

Jerome Powell and the Federal Reserve have taken remarkable steps to try to keep the global economy afloat. And although it hasnt gotten much attention, USAID has provided half a billion dollars in aid to the developing world. Like much of the Trump administrations foreign policy and Wagners music, the U.S. response to COVID-19 has been better than it sounds.

EA: Ha! Last I checked, though, the Fed was meant to be independent of the White House. I still dont think its going to matter all that much. Theres been some positive movement from the federal government, but theres still a lot of dysfunction and no obvious plan for testing ramp-up.

And finally starting to make progress isnt going to help Trump come November, when a thousand attack ads will surely point out that intelligence reports were clear on the risks of the coronavirus spreading as early as January, when Trump was saying the virus was completely under control.

MK: We disagreed on this last week. This issue has moved fast, and there was not an obvious need, or political support, for drastic measures that early. Trump restricted air traffic from China in January and was criticized for it. After all, it is hard to believe now, but our March 7 column did not even mention coronavirus! And Im sure it would have gone over really well if Trump had ordered a nationwide lockdown in the middle of January and Februarys impeachment hearings. Hindsight is 20/20.

EA: True. And I can admit that I was probably too skeptical of Trumps travel ban, assuming at the time that it was just another attempt to shut the border from an administration that has cried wolf far too many times. If only the administration had done something with that time: stockpile equipment or ramp up testing, maybe.

MK: Well, the U.S. response wasnt helped by Chinas dissembling, aided and abetted by the WHO. What do you make of Trumps decision to halt U.S. funding to the organization?

EA: Im honestly fascinated by the decision to cut WHO funding. On the one hand, its pretty dumb to cut funding for global health and vaccinations during a pandemic. Its also very clearly another attempt by the Trump administration to shift blame. But equally, there are serious problems with the U.N. system and with the WHO. There may need to be a serious discussion about it after all this is over.

MK: This crisis has surfaced all of the greatest fears of global public health experts on the international health system. We have all of these international agreements that look nice on paper (the WHO, the International Health Regulations, the Nagoya Protocol, etc.), but would they function in a pandemic? What we learned is that they were all thrown out the window in a crisis, and no one blinked. It reminds me of the old joke about arms control: When it is needed it doesnt work, and when it works, it wasnt needed.

EA: Isnt that just a fancy way of saying that international institutions are just paper tigers? It seems to me that the controversy over the WHO boils down to two camps in the United States: those who thought it genuinely was exempt from power politics and those who just think the Chinese now have too much influence. Seems like something well see in a lot of international institutions going forward.

MK: Yes. I hope the Trump decision to cut aid isnt about abandoning the institution, but a first step toward reasserting U.S. authority within it. We are entering a new era of competitive multilateralism in which these institutions will become arenas for U.S.-Chinese competition. This might also be an opportunity to create new global public health institutions that work better. The G-20 started holding summits and expanded its profile after the 2008 financial crisis. Perhaps the United States and its allies can come together to create a new institution for public health.

EA: The Taiwan issue is concerning too. The Taiwanese government had a pretty effective response to the virusespecially given its locationand it was all ignored by the WHO. I just dont think its going to be possible to create an organization that ignores the power political issues in the way you hope. Either you include China, and have problems like Taiwan, or leave them out, and the organization cant really be effective.

MK: I think greater coordination among the United States and leading democracies could accomplish quite a bit even without China. Speaking of leading democracies, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson fell ill to coronavirus. Experts are debating whether this pandemic will be as transformational for global politics as 9/11 or the Great Recession, but this is one area where it is clearly more significant: Every single individual on Earth from the leaders of G-7 countries on down is vulnerable and will be personally affected. I suspect a personal brush with death might instill in him greater resolve to tackle the crisis in Britain, which is now worsening.

EA: Thats true. Im glad Boris is out of hospital, but hes not even back to work yet as he continues to recover. The U.K. has been hit almost as hard as the United States by the pandemic; most of my British friends and family are under lockdowns that are far stricter than what were experiencing here. Still not clear what any of this will mean for Brexit, though I have a sneaking suspicion there will be at least a years delay in negotiations.

And Europe isnt nearly as united as it was even a few months ago. Brexit pushed European countries together in opposition, but the coronavirus seems to be dividing them. That might be to Britains advantage in negotiations.

MK: This is a huge uncertainty for the post-COVID world. We saw that the 2008 financial crisis nearly tore Europe apart, and the economic impact of this crisis alone is likely to hit much harder. We already see major divisions in Europe over Eurobonds and other recovery measures. I very much hope that we can maintain European and trans-Atlantic unity at a time when Russia and China are doing their best to divide the free world.

EA: Only time will tell. But look, there was one last thing I wanted to talk about before we wrap up here. Ive been fascinated by the emerging civil-military relations problems were seeing here in the United States. On the USS Theodore Roosevelt, a sailor has now died of COVID-19 after the captain on the ship was fired for calling attention to an outbreak.

MK: I am interested in the civil-military dimension of this episode, but I think there is an even bigger implication for U.S. defense policy. There are sick U.S. sailors. We are cancelling major military exercises. The Pentagon has halted troop movements. How do you recruit, train, or deploy forces when you cant gather large groups?

EA: There are readiness issues for sure. But as Capt. Brett Crozier noted in his leaked letter, were not at war. It is foolhardy and pointless to risk the lives of sailors and soldiers during this pandemic just to sustain presence missions around the world. Plus, surely maintaining these deployments at the cost of mass illness would be worse if we did end up in a conflict; the French just announced that 700 sailors on the Charles de Gaulle, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, are now sick.

Or are you talking about something longer-term?

MK: Defense budgets are going to take a hit. It will be even harder for European allies to meet their burden-sharing requirements. And what if this crisis lasts not for weeks, but for two to three years, as some believe is possible? I worry that Putin or Xi will miscalculate and think that this is their chance. God forbid that China attacks Taiwan on the day the U.S. Pacific Fleet calls in sick.

EA: Well, there are two ways to get to the NATO target of 2 percent of GDP in defense spending. One: increase spending. Two: decrease GDP a lot. We might manage No. 2! Its not exactly good news, though. But I think youre right that were going to see falling defense budgets across the world. I dont think thats necessarily a bad thingperhaps a topic for our next debate?

MK: Youre on. In the meantime, Ill work on coming up with a better Zoom background.

Read more from the original source:
Was Trump Right to Cut WHO Fundingand How Will the Pandemic Impact Defense Readiness and Economic Policy? - Foreign Policy

For indispensable reporting on the coronavirus crisis and more, subscribe to Mother Jones' newsletters.

Soon, President Trump will decide whether he will reopen the country on May 1or earlier. This is a decision that has literal life-or-death consequences, and its already becoming clear Trump plans on doing what is his habit: hyping the drama of the decision like he is previewing next weeks episode of his reality show (even if its unclear what he even has the authority to reopen).

There is no real choice here. As eager as Trump is for a quick economic rebound, public health officials have been clear that easing social distancing measures too soon would result in a spike of more deaths.

Youve got to be realistic and youve got to understand that you dont make the timeline, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN last week. The virus makes the timeline.

But Trump cant resist a spectacle. Last Friday, in his daily press conference, Trump teased the decision about whether to begin to reopen the economy May 1. (Never mind that May 1a Fridayis a completely arbitrary date.)Im going to have to make a decision, and I only hope to God that its the right decision, he said. But I would say without question its the biggest decision Ive ever had to make.

Trump promised an opening our country council, which will include the greatest minds, great business leaders, and great doctors advising him. Its unclear who from the business community is willing to serve on it outside of his Cabinet officials and advisers.

Weve seen all this before. An early example of Trumps Apprentice-style approach to the presidency was when Trump was weighing his options on the Paris climate agreement. The decision-making process turned into a high-stakes contest between members of his Cabinet who publicly made their cases on whether the United States should leave or stay. Several, like his then-EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, took to Trumps favorite channel, Fox News, to audition their arguments for the commander-in-chief. After weeks of reports that Trump was waffling, he held a Rose Garden press conference in which he announced the US would exit in three years time. The eventual winner of the contest was Pruitt, who joined him at the podium for the announcement.

He has also turned the once staid State of the Union into a theatrical event. As David Graham wrote of Trumps most recent address in the Atlantic: In an emotional peak, he praised an Army wife whose husband was deployed to Afghanistanthen announced, to her surprise and that of those watching in the chamber and at home, that her husband had actually returned home, making the family reunion a national TV event. At other times, as the New York Times observed, he has courted and narrowed the pool of Supreme Court nominees in a process that so mirrored The Bachelor, several folks quipped, that Mr. Trump would ask his nominee, Will you accept this robe?).

Trump is obsessed with ratings above else, but now hes gambling directly with peoples lives.

Instead of giving the country a measure of calm and direction, Trump has set off a familiar situation with this artificial May 1 deadline. There have already been rounds of will-he-or-wont-he headlines about Trumps decision, recounting who is for and against reopening the economy and internal divisions over the matter.

Recently, Trump has set up a dramatic showdown with (mostly) Democratic governors, including those on the East and West Coasts who have established multi-state coalitions to coordinate their COVID-19 responses and determine when and how to restart their economies. Trump has claimed he holds the authority to override their decisions, tweeting Monday: For the purpose of creating conflict and confusion, some in the Fake News Media are saying that it is the Governors decision to open up the states, not that of the President of the United States & the Federal Government. Let it be fully understood that this is incorrect.

On Tuesday, he backed down, telling reporters, Im not going to put any pressure on any governor to open.

The polarization and hype play to Trumps base. At a time when his only priority should be rescuing the nation, its clear he is focused largely on rescuing his ratings.

The rest is here:
Donald Trump Is Treating His Decision to Reopen the Country Like Reality TV - Mother Jones

Good morning,

In the midst of an unprecedented global health crisis, Donald Trump has decided to cut US funding to the World Health Organization after accusing the international body of severely mismanaging and covering up the threat posed by the coronavirus. Leading health experts described the presidents move as damnable, appalling and a crime against humanity.

For context, the WHO declared a public health emergency on 30 January after which the president continued to hold mass rallies and compare Covid-19 to the common flu. On Tuesday, Trump complained the WHO had defended the actions of the Chinese government, even praising its so-called transparency. On 24 January, Trump tweeted his thanks to the Chinese for their work on the virus, praising their efforts and transparency.

Trump targeted the WHO, Julian Borger writes from Washington, because he needed someone else to blame for his administrations own complacent and dysfunctional response to the crisis:

How well Trumps scapegoating of the WHO will play in the US election is impossible to predict, but on the world stage it will undoubtedly be seen as yet another step in an accelerating US abdication of global leadership.

Female reporters. The women of the White House press corps really seem to get under the presidents skin, as evidenced by his testy exchange with CBSs Paula Reid. Poppy Noor asks whether Trump has met his match in the briefing room.

Presidential cheques. Trumps own name will appear on the $1,200 cheques being sent to cash-strapped Americans amid the crisis so theyll know who to blame when the cheques arrive several days later than expected.

California is transitioning to the optimistic phase of its coronavirus response, Governor Gavin Newsom suggested on Tuesday, but dont expect those stay-at-home orders to be lifted anytime soon. A Stanford epidemiologist has pooh-poohed any speculation of statewide herd immunity, while San Francisco has cancelled its 50th anniversary Pride event, which had been due to take place at the end of June. Several experts say physical distancing may be needed intermittently until at least 2022.

Elsewhere in the US:

They wanted $50bn, they got $25bn. The US government agreed a bailout for the beleaguered airline industry on Tuesday as part of its $2.2tn coronavirus aid package, as travel reaches an almost total standstill during lockdowns in almost 100 countries and on every continent besides Antarctica. The International Air Transport Association predicts airlines will lose 25% of their revenue this year, a total of approximately $314bn.

Medical staff and emergency responders account for an estimated 11% of known US coronavirus cases. Now, the Guardian and Kaiser Health News have launched an effort to document all the lives lost on the healthcare frontline during the crisis. These are some of the first tragic cases.

Barack Obama endorses Biden. The former president cast his former VP as the elder statesman with the experience and instincts to unify party and country in a time of crisis, in his first though undoubtedly not his last major public intervention in the 2020 presidential race.

Jacinda Ardern is taking a pay cut. The New Zealand prime minister has said she and her ministers will slash their own salaries by 20% for the next six months, in solidarity with other workers affected by the coronavirus.

Its the longest animal ever seen: a 150-foot siphonophore a deep sea predator that looks like a single piece of string floating in the ocean off Western Australia and spotted by scientists who have discovered as many as 30 new marine species lurking in the regions deep, underwater canyons.

Virtual visitors: a remote-controlled guide to the Faroes

The Faroe Islands, a ruggedly beautiful north Atlantic archipelago, has enjoyed a tourism boom in recent years. But 2020 put paid to that, so now the islands are inviting people to visit remotely, writes Tim Ecott, by giving local volunteer guides a camera and letting people from all over the world take an online tour with them.

The outrage of our electronic waste mountain

The worlds biggest companies may deny it, but it is widely believed our electronic devices are deliberately built with a limited lifespan: so-called planned obsolescence. The result is a growing mountain of e-waste. John Harris talks to the activists trying to repair all that dead tech.

Republican vote suppression backfires in Wisconsin

Republicans risked lives by refusing to delay Wisconsins elections last week, a move that backfired spectacularly when a conservative justice on the states supreme court lost his seat to a liberal challenger by 163,000 votes. Its an early litmus test of Trumps political strength in a crucial swing state, as Sam Levine reports.

Brand strategist Amelia Hall says theres a new youth movement that fetishizes the wholesome purity of the outdoors. So why is cottagecore taking off now? Because were all stuck at home, of course.

Today, the simple act of being outdoors poses a very real, very mortal threat. So while mindlessly scrolling through Twitter, and encountering collages of young women lying in grass, cradling bunnies, wearing outfits out of Picnic at Hanging Rock I felt as though Id found something as illicit as a schedule 2 drug.

In this time of self-isolation, perhaps we humans can take inspiration from the platypus, which spends its days eating crustaceans and resting in its burrow, content with a life of solitude. To that end, the World Wide Fund for Nature has compiled a list of some of the worlds most antisocial creatures.

The US morning briefing is delivered to thousands of inboxes every weekday. If youre not already signed up, subscribe now.

Visit link:
First Thing: Who stops funding WHO in a pandemic? Donald Trump, that's who - The Guardian

President Donald Trump is clashing with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo over the coronavirus response again.

During Cuomos press briefing on the latest COVID-19 updates in the Empire State, Trump attacked the governor in a series of tweets Friday.

Governor Cuomo should spend more time doing and less time complaining.' Get out there and get the job done. Stop talking!" Trump wrote on Twitter. "We built you thousands of hospital beds that you didnt need or use, gave large numbers of Ventilators that you should have had, and helped you with... testing that you should be doing. We have given New York far more money, help and equipment than any other state, by far, & these great men & women who did the job never hear you say thanks. Your numbers are not good. Less talk and more action!

A reporter asked Cuomo about Trumps tweets, and the governor responded in real time.

First of all, if hes sitting home watching TV, maybe he should get up and go to work, right? Cuomo said. Second, lets keep emotions and politics out of it, and personal ego if we can."

Because this is about the people, and its about our job.

Cuomo has frequently clashed with Trump, asking for more federal help including ventilators and personal protective equipment to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Trump has recently tried to claim he would decide when states reopen for business, issuing a three-point plan for governors to use but admitted it would be to states to decide when to lift stay-at-home orders.

Trump has encouraged states to reopen by May 1, but Cuomo who has extended New Yorks stay-at-home order to May 15 said the presidents plan requires more federal aid.

Is there any funding so I can do these things you want me to do? Cuomo said Friday. That is passing the buck without passing the bucks.

Why dont you show as much consideration to states as you did to your big businesses and to your airlines? Cuomo added.

The governor also pointed out that, while other states may have lower numbers of coronavirus and could reopen sooner than others, New York is still seeing more than 600 new deaths daily from COVID-19. Trumps home state has seen more than 220,000 confirmed cases more than any country outside the U.S. and nearly 13,000 deaths.

Trump and Cuomo have repeatedly clashed on a number of issues beyond the coronavirus pandemic. Trump, a Republican, has previously claimed New Yorkers are leaving the state like never before" and refused to allow New Yorkers to enroll in Global Entry and other trusted traveler programs. Cuomo, a Democrat, has accused Trump of inciting hate and doing nothing but tweet when it comes to gun control, and also irked the president when he signed a law preventing presidential pardons for state crimes, including his associates like former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

Trump further used Twitter Friday to show support for protesters in states demanding stay-at-home orders be lifted and non-essential businesses reopened.

LIBERATE MINNESOTA! Trump tweeted. LIBERATE MICHIGAN! LIBERATE VIRGINIA, and save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege!

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Cuomo rejects Trump claim of total authority: We dont have a king

Coronavirus timeline: How Gov. Cuomo has responded to pandemic since January

Trump attacks Cuomo, claims NY governor created death panels instead of buying ventilators

Cuomo to Trump: The president will have no fight with me

Follow this link:
Gov. Cuomo responds to Trump tweets: Maybe he should get up and go to work - syracuse.com

With unemployment claims ballooning to 22 million people, the coronavirus lockdown took an uncomfortable turn for state governors on Wednesday. Workers and small business owners clogged the streets of Lansing, Michigan, near the capitol, blaring car and truck horns, and waved signs calling on Governor Gretchen Whitmer to allow businesses to open up. Smaller protests took place in Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina and Utah.

The angry outburst came just as the nation teeters on what the computer models say is the "peak" of the COVID-19 outbreak. According to most calculations, the death toll, after rising with terrifying steepness for several weeks, should be flattening out and soon starting to drop. "The worst is over," said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo earlier this week.

Reality, though, seems to have other ideas. New Jersey, supposedly on the downward slope, reported 362 deaths on Thursday, the biggest single-day increase. Governor Phil Murphy said the death toll, at 3518, surpasses the number of state residents who died in World War I.

Despite the lack of clarity, reopening is on everybody's mind. President Donald Trump announced Thursday, "We are in the next front of our war, which we are calling, 'Opening Up America Again.'" Governors on both coasts are hammering out plans to lift restrictions on businesses. Governor Gavin Newsom of California said any plans to open the state would be "guided by science and data."

One thing is clear: regardless of whether the lockdown ends next week or next year, the virus will be waiting on the other side. A lockdown only delays the virus' progress through the population. It's designed to keep the burden off emergency rooms and intensive care units and buy time. The relevant question in considering how and when to lift the lockdown is not how to prevent deaths, but rather how to prevent too many deaths all at once.

Several private studies have laid out frameworks for a plan, and the governors are no doubt fashioning their own. There is a consensus that life will not go back to normal until scientists figure out how to defang the viruswith a vaccine, or treatments that keep the acutely ill from dying on ventilators, or both. New treatments will take months to roll out and a vaccine is at least a year away. How, then, do we negotiate the coming months?

Most plans present a post-lockdown scenario in which life wouldn't exactly be normal but would still be an improvement on lockdown. People would wear masks when they go outside, some businesses would reopen with social-distancing precautions, large gatherings would be forbidden and bars would stay closed. Baseball season might reopen, but teams would play to empty stadiums. Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, an author of a report published by the American Enterprise Institute, told Vox that it would look like a "gradual reintroduction of activity."

As social interactions increased, of course, the virus would begin to make a comeback. Epidemiolgist Marc Lipsitch of Harvard and his colleagues recently performed a computer analysis of how SARS-CoV-2 was likely to behave after lockdown is lifted, which the journal Science published on Tuesday. The authors found that loosened restrictions would almost certainly produce a rebound later in the year. A false sense of security during the summer months in northern states such as New York and Michigan, where the virus might be less active during the summer heat, could lead to a spike in cases in the autumn or winter that's even more severe than the one we're only now recovering from.

To avoid another catastrophe, doctors would use contract tracing to jump on small outbreaks before they turn into big ones. Contact tracing would require PCR tests to detect the presence of the virus in patients' blood, and serological tests to measure the presence of antibodies, an indication of whether or not a patient has immunity. The monitoring would have to be done at the local level, which means tests would have to be cheap, plentiful and quick. Paul Romer, a Nobel laureate and professor at New York University, calls for administering tests to every person in the country every two weeksmore than 20 million tests per day.

Testing on that scale is not going to happen anytime soon. Tests are only now being rolled out and it will be "at least weeks before there are results for more than a handful of places," said Lipsitch at a press conference.

Without testing and tracing, the only tool available to keep the outbreak in check is social distancing. Lipsitch's team explored scenarios for controlling the rebound with social-distancing measures alone. No one wants a permanent lockdown, so they also ran their computer models on a strategy of intermittent lockdowns. Public health officials would monitor the prevalence of the virus in the population at large and, as the number of infected people reached a certain threshold, social distancing rules would once again go into effect. A lockdown in March and April might give way to a few months of relative freedom, but then it would be time for a second lockdown, and eventually a third and a fourth and so on.

Without a vaccine or effective treatments, a strategy of on-again, off-again lockdowns would have to continue through 2022 before enough people carried antibodies to the virus to protect the most vulnerable, known as herd immunity.

It sounds awfuland it might not even work. Without adequate testing, public health officials would have to use indirect metrics, such as hospitalizations, to assess at what point a new lockdown is needed. This would hamper their ability to recognize a spike quickly enough to avoid another catastrophic increase in COVID-19 cases. Would politicians listen and act in time to close down businesses? Would the public accept and abide by these recurring rounds of restrictions?

The recent of experience of Singapore doesn't bode well. In the early days of the pandemic, Singapore, which arguably has the best health care system in the world, managed to avoid severe social distancing through a program of comprehensive testing and rigorous contact tracing. Still, it lost control of the outbreak. Last week, it had to resort to closing businesses and reducing social contact. If Singapore can't keep its economy open with a robust system of testing and monitoring, can the U.S.?

The lack of alternatives to social distancing makes charting a realistic course from lockdown to normalcy exceedingly difficult. Until scientists can come up with some other interventiona vaccine, a treatment, a drastic expansion of ICU capacityit looks like social distancing is going to be a way of life for a while.

Originally posted here:
Donald Trump Says America Will Open Up But Scientists Predict We'll Be Back in Lockdown Again. Here's Why - Newsweek