Experts warn of worsening pandemic unless Trump takes action

[left-of-center2012]

Health experts are warning that the current surge in coronavirus cases will get far worse unless the Trump administration takes aggressive action in the next few months. Significant time and money will need to be invested to ensure states are ready to widely distribute a vaccine as soon as one becomes available, and to build trust back into a public health system that's been scarred by politicization.

Democratic nominee Joe Biden leads the Electoral College and looks like the favorite to get to 270 votes, but regardless of the outcome, the current administration will be in charge through Jan. 20. "I think the current administration and the current Congress need to take some steps quickly because this disease is worse now than it has ever been in this country," said Mark Rosenberg, an epidemiologist who ran the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control from 1994 to 1999.

"If we don't get a clear set of policies, if we don't have clear goals, and if we don't have the trust of all the people, then the death will rise to extraordinary levels, and the infection rates will multiply. So the next few months are crucial," Rosenberg said.

Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said "I know a lot of people have a lot of hopes on a Biden administration fixing things, but we still have a couple of months of the Trump administration where we can't let things unravel. We still need to continue to pour resources into testing, tracing and isolating," Adalja said. "I do think that there's a danger during the lame duck period that people may become complacent, and we can't because we know the virus is not going to. We have to not allow any of the programs that are in place now to fade away, because we can't afford to lose any time with getting a vaccine," Adalja added.

President Trump has repeatedly dismissed the threat of the virus, mocking those wearing masks and holding events where people failed to physically distance. His closing message for the campaign was that the virus was under control, and the U.S. would be turning the corner soon.

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/524879-experts-warn-of-worsening-pandemic-unless-trump-takes-action

[soothsayer]

1. It's going to go wild if he doesn't get out of the way

How does one appeal to these governors who refuse to govern?

[bdamomma]

2. tRump's

revenge on the people will continue, I hope the ICC or UN will label him a war criminal/crime against humanity. He is a vengeful POS.

[CrispyQ]

3. He's not going to do anything.

He was bored with the virus before he lost, he really isn't going to give a shit now. At most, McConnell will put together some kind of relief package, but there will not be any kind of cohesive response to the virus. The Con is all about keeping his own ass out of jail & right now that means keeping the presidency. In the background, he will take a sledge hammer to anything he hasn't already smashed to bits, & leave Biden a worse mess than even Obama was left. I am so fucking sick of this pattern.

Georgia, Georgia, Georgia, we have to win those two seats if we really want to fix things.

[vrguy]

4. F**k Trump n/t

[ffr]

5. tRump's retribution knows no bounds. We're rudderless until January 20th.

[essme]

6. We are stocking up again

I don't mean to sound like a nutty conspiracy theorist- but, he is not going to do anything. A lot of folks are going to die while he and Lindsey Graham are looking for dead people who voted.

[oioioi]

7. at least we're allowed to say "Merry Christmas" again.

So much winning.

[Mariana]

8. I think Trump will do exactly nothing to slow down the pandemic.

This will be part of his version of the scorched earth policy. Americans didn't re-elect him, so we deserve to suffer and die. This includes his supporters, since he will decide they didn't fight hard enough for him, so they deserve it too. He'll want the economy to come crashing down too, so I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he refuses to sign any relief bills, no matter what provisions they contain.

[Klaralven]

9. At this point, its mostly up to State and Local Government and pharmaceutical companies

State and Local are the governments that can put limits on people interacting and infecting each other. The main challenge is to get people to keep their mouths shut, since most virus escapes infected people through their mouths when they talk, laugh, shout, yell, sing, cough,or make other vocalizations. The other challenge is to get sick people tested and to trace, test, and isolate their close contacts.

Pharmaceutical companies are doing the development, trials, and scaling manufacturing of therapeutics and vaccines.