The federal government never did the work needed to prepare for safe reopening
As daily rates of new coronavirus infections surpass 60,000 across the United States, repeatedly shattering single-day records, the Trump administration’s narrative about the virus has shifted. What began as overconfidence intended to downplay epidemiologic datahas now turned into fatalism, best captured in the recent Washington Post report that White House officials hope “Americans will grow numb to the escalating death toll and learn to accept tens of thousands of new cases a day.” But what remains consistent is a failure by this administration to do the hard work needed to coordinate and orchestrate a federal response, to provide clear risk communication to the public — including, for example, the importance of mask-wearing — and to use emergency powers and flexible resources to support the necessary response to surging case counts. For a pandemic that spreads exponentially, a let-it-play-out approach that accepts mass deaths as inevitable is a disaster for this country and the world.
What is going on? Part of it is a preoccupation with President Trump’s ratings ahead of the November election. Public health experts, for instance, have raised alarm about political interference that removed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from leadership in providing clear guidance for reopening and recovery based on data and evidence. Last week, the president tweeted that the CDC’s guidelines for school reopening were “very tough and expensive.” This assessment was followed by confusion: Vice President Pence said revised guidelines would be issued, and a day later, the CDC director, Robert Redfield, backtracked, saying they would remain the same with additional guidance provided.
And as infection rates continue to rise, so has the White House’s search for scapegoats. Managing the administration’s public image appears to be the top priority, never mind that the virus is indifferent to these maneuvers. Trump’s decision to direct full blame at China and the World Health Organization and withdraw from the WHO in the midst of a global pandemic is particularly worrisome. Reports that the administration is deliberating on restructuring the CDC and directing more blame for the crisis there are also troubling at a time when public health officials across the country are being threatened. And the further confirmation that National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease Director Anthony S. Fauci’s input is unwanted, as the White House shares with reporters a lengthy list of “mistakes” made in his comments early in the outbreak, adds to a pattern of blaming and redirecting responsibility for the failed response. Continue reading.