What To Do

We could bring this monster to heel in a coupla months if these stupid Cult45 devotees would just get the fuck outa the way.

I think some sense is creeping in on the rubes, but they continue to be goaded into this hyper-libertarian mode by politicians (mostly Republicans) who just can't let go of the need to make shit up that they think works in their favor.

NYT:

It’s no mystery how America got here. The Trump administration’s response has been disjointed and often contradictory, indifferent to science, suffused with politics and eager to hand off responsibility to state leaders. Among the states, the response has also been wildly uneven.

It’s also no surprise where the country is headed. Unless something changes quickly, millions more people will be sickened by the virus, and well over a million may ultimately die from it. The economy will contract further as new surges of viral spread overwhelm hospitals and force further shutdowns and compound suffering, especially in low-income communities and communities of color.

The path to avoiding those outcomes is as clear as the failures of the past several months.

Scientists have learned a lot about this coronavirus since the first cases were reported in the United States earlier this year. For instance, they know now that airborne transmission is a far greater risk than contaminated surfaces, that the virus spreads through singing and shouting as much as through coughing, and that while any infected person is a potential vector, superspreading events — as in nursing homes, meatpacking plants, churches and bars — are major drivers of the pandemic. By most estimates, just 10 to 20 percent of coronavirus infections account for 80 percent of transmissions.

We can and must do better.

• Clear, Consistent Messaging
• Better Use of Data
• Smarter Shutdowns
• Testing, Tracing, Isolation and Quarantine