A SHIFT IN THE DEBATE — N.Y. Governor Andrew Cuomo in this morning’s briefing articulated a subtle shift in the discussion on the smartest way to deal with the salient issue at hand: Can you only save people by killing the economy? What is the balancing act? The Governor remains firmly in the camp that says we must stay the course on distancing and shutdown. For now.
But, at some point, he admits you “have to open the valve” and provide oxygen for the economy. “This is not sustainable.” So he talked about whether sometime soon, we may have to “stratify the risks” and, for example send kids who might be doing more harm at home back to their schools. “Smart public health policy and smart economic policy: There’s a dot where those two lines cross.”
THE QUESTION IS WHEN? — To that end, here is a piece by New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman (one of us) that appears to address at least part of what Gov. Cuomo was addressing (there are signs President Trump is getting queasy about going past the original 15-day shutdown). It is worth noting that Britain first flirted with the herd immunity approach and has since backed away from it after concerning results.
FAUCI’S BURDEN — “When you're dealing with the White House, sometimes you have to say things 1,2,3,4 times, and then it happens. So I'm going to keep pushing... I’m trying my best. I cannot do the impossible.” A fascinating Q and A with medical Big Knocker Anthony Fauci.
IS IT A RAY OF HOPE OR WISHFUL THINKING?........
.........ON THE OTHER HAND......