No, the cure is not worse the virus!

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EDITORIAL OPINION

There has been national chatter asking whether the cure is worse than the problem. Just today, I received an email from a local resident asking this question and then imploring to let the non-essential workforce back to work NOW.

Social distance is the only plan we have that that can be implemented immediately that is effective in slowing down the spread of the coronavirus (the so-called flattening of the curve).

Here are some quotes from an article that was posted in yesterday’s Washington Post:

“Current and former emergency management officials said the delay would cost lives.

“Part of the problem is just reluctance to wrap your head around the fact that the numbers could get that bad that fast,” said W. Craig Fugate, a former FEMA administrator.

He singled out the South, saying, “It’s almost a different approach, waiting to know it’s bad. I’m afraid that by the time they have reports of cases, it’s already too late.”

A federal official involved in emergency management in a group of states across the Southeast echoed that assessment.”

“Kemp [Georgia Republican Governor] said he learned Tuesday that the virus was “transmitting before people see signs.”

For weeks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others have been warning about the disease’s spread in the absence of symptoms.”

This is not a partisan issue. Shelter in place orders are not just issued by Democrat Governors in hot spot states like California and New York (and in New Jersey). Republican Governors, like Ron DeSantis in Florida, Brian Kemp in Georgia, and Doug Ducey in Arizona, after much deliberation and consternation, have reversed their position and ordered a statewide stay at home order.

In Brooklyn, NY, the head of a hospital, gave the chilling statistics. The hospital normally deals with about 200 patients a week, but is now getting over 900 coronavirus patients a week. Our health care facilities and workers are not equipped nor have the capacity to deal with this. In hot spots like New York, our front line workers are already being overwhelmed and hospitals have reached their capacity.

Flattening of the Curve.

There are massive efforts to procure and produce sufficient personal protective equipment for our front line workers. There is also a tremendous medical research race to produce a vaccine and already there are encouraging and hopeful signs.

But we need time! If we don’t slow down the spread through social distancing and shelter in place, then the cure will definitely be worse than the problem. Right now, we still have a chance to do this in a somewhat controlled fashion but we are already weeks behind in many parts of our country. As hard as it is for many people, this is temporary; we can all get through this. If not, the deaths, pain and economic hardship will be even worse – for everyone!