The Way Forward

For John, BLUF:  There seems to be a number of different views on at the way forward from here with regard to Winnie the Flu.  Fortunately, Heritage has stepped up to give us a first cut, one I like.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Heritage Coronavirus Commission Releases 5-Step Plan to Reopen America

From Pajama Media, by Opinion Writer Tyler O'Neil, 10 April 2020.

Here is the lede plus two:

On Thursday, the Heritage Foundation's National Coronavirus Recovery Commission met for the first time.  At the meeting, seventeen experts hammered out a general five-phase plan to "save lives and livelihoods" by defeating the coronavirus and jumpstarting the economy.  Vice President Mike Pence acknowledged the commission's work.

In order to slow the spread of the virus, President Donald Trump has urged Americans to stay home, practice social distancing, and avoid going into the office if their work is not "essential."  State and local leaders have issued various orders, and businesses have moved to remote work or laying off employees.  Unemployment has skyrocketed, Americans are having trouble paying rent, and millions are hoping America can reopen sooner rather than later.  President Trump originally said he hoped to reopen the country by Easter, but that seems too ambitious.

"Good public health policy is good economic policy, and vice versa," Kay Coles James, president of the Heritage Foundation, said in a statement.  "If the economy fails, there will be severe, long-term health consequences; and if the health care system fails, there will be severe, long-term economic consequences.  A nation decimated by the disease cannot have a functioning economy, and a catastrophic loss of jobs wreaks horrific damage on both mental and physical health."

Here are the five top level issues, per Heritage:

1. Regional reopening
2. Expand mitigation
3. Build the science
4. Launch an economic recovery
5. Prepare for future pandemics

It may seem obvious to you, but in our Nation's Capitol, with its usual degree of logrolling, this is a good way of getting most everyone on the same sheet of music.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff