White House coronavirus expert Dr. Anthony Fauci says complete US shutdown is 'on the table' ...

[left-of-center2012]

Source: Daily Mail (UK)

White House coronavirus expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Friday morning that the current state of crisis in the US would last for two months and that 'it's all on the table' in terms of how much more severe things may become.

Asked directly if America was heading towards a complete shutdown like China and Italy, he would not rule it out. 'I'm not sure we're going to get to that. I think that would be really rather dramatic, but I can tell you that all things are on the table. It will be at least a matter of several weeks. It's unpredictable, but if you look at historically how these things work, it will likely be anywhere from a few weeks to up to eight weeks.'

Fauci told congress on Thursday that the healthcare system was failing, and that there were not enough tests to go around or get done fast enough. On Friday, he was more optimistic and said 'very soon' there will be wider scope for testing but he did not give specifics of where these tests would be available and who was producing them.

'Let's look ahead, and I believe what we're hearing at the task force that we are now getting into that phase where we'll be able to really scale it up a lot. I think in the next week or so, you're going to see an acceleration of availability of tests.

Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8109075/White-House-coronavirus-expert-Dr-Anthony-Fauci-says-crisis-eight-weeks.html

---

[PSPS]

1. Well, of course, everything can and should be 'on the table'. Why not?

[Haggis for Breakfast]

15. Because trump will not tolerate the economy - his BIG re-election issue -

to tank. Shutting down the country would be an admission that he has failed miserably - something he will NEVER admit.

[Maeve]

2. If the panic buying was not crazy enough already...

I am glad I won't need to go shopping Saturday or Sunday

[IronLionZion]

3. They'll cancel the election

and just reappoint Trump for another term as the only way to ensure public safety.

[totodeinhere]

7. I thought about that too but I'm not sure if that would be constitutional.

If there is no election then I think the office of the presidency would become vacant on January 20 and the Speaker of the House would become president. Someone can correct me if my interpretation is incorrect.

[IronLionZion]

8. I'm totally fine with Speaker of the House becoming president

but due to our All American toilet paper shortage, these assholes are using the constitution for a different purpose.

[Talitha]

14. "Speaker of the House would become president"

Now that's the best thing I've heard all week - THANKS!

[Divad123]

22. Because Trump respects the law

In a better world, that might be the case, but one thing that Trump has made abundantly clear is his disdain for the law. He would site the present emergency as a reason to stay in office, probable siting Roosevelt, and Fox news would praise him for his courage.

[totodeinhere]

24. I just thought of something else too. if the election were not held

Then the House members would also have their terms expire. So maybe we would not have a speaker who could assume the presidency. What a mess.

[Thekaspervote]

11. Only congress has the power to set or rest a date for elections ..so no dotard can't

[IronLionZion]

13. They'll cancel Congress

due to the disproportionately elderly age of congresspeople

[Haggis for Breakfast]

16. There is no Constitutional guideline for that.

[IronLionZion]

17. due to our All American toilet paper shortage,

these assholes are using the constitution for a different purpose.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

20. Well, they've been doing that since the election.

[matt819]

4. What does that even mean?

Austria just announced a shutdown, with only grocery stores and pharmacies open.

Does a shutdown here mean a shutdown shutdown, or something else? Maybe I shouldn't have mocked the toilet paper preppers.

I understand Dr. Fauci has a good reputation, but throwing this kind of comment out there without any details is not particularly responsible.

As for his projection of tests being available? I'll believe it when I read it on DU (or the NYT). Until then, it falls into the category of "shit the government is saying."

[DeminPennswoods]

5. Fauci might be a top virulogist, but his public comments

such as these are not helpful. I suppose when your life's work involves planning for epidemics, pandemics and other worst-case disease scenarios, it can skew your judgement. Sort of like when everything looks like a nail, the tool you always choose is a hammer.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

18. Tony Fauci is an immunologist,

an internationally-recognized expert in infectious disease and public health. His life's work has revolved around public health, not planning for worse-case scenarios. His integrity is not at question by anyone who has ever worked with him or known him. Neither is his honesty.

As someone who knows Dr. Fauci and worked under his leadership while serving in the U S Public Health Service, I think your comments about his judgement being skewed are way out of line.

[DeminPennswoods]

28. Right now, in the US we simply do not have data to

properly evaluate what is happening here. We aren't testing people. We don't know who has covid-19, who has the flu, who is recovered and has immunity or much else. We don't know what the true "denominator" is that should be used to determine actual rates of infection, mortality and other useful statistics. Everything is just guess work at this point.

When you are considered a subject matter expert, your statements carry a lot of weight. When you speak, don't put out information based on incomplete, limited or non-existant data. If you do, then qualify your words.

I am sure Fauci is in an extremely difficult spot especially given he has to work with Trump, the Trump administration and Trump's political appointee bosses at CDC. His distinguished career and credibility makes him an ideal spokesman and he is being given that forum. It is just absolutely incumbent on him to explain his reasoning when he makes public statements.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

36. Believe me, his frustration level is through the roof,

He's trying to do the best he can under intense pressure to "not say too much." I don't want to know what quantifies as "too much" currently. But he will go down swinging, if it comes to that. There is too much at stake here, and believe me, NO ONE knows that better than Dr. Anthony Fauci.

[DeeDeeNY]

33. How sick is this -

After Dr. Fauci's interview on Morning Joe the other day, they were all impressed by him but then expressed worry that Trump would try to get him fired.

[rockfordfile]

6. I don't agree with that

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

9. So Trump can put the election on hold

[Thekaspervote]

12. No, see post #11

[Divad123]

23. Only Congress can

As has been pointed out, only Congress can cancel the election. But Congress is still controlled by Republicans. So the question is, what is the exact mechanism used, and if its a vote, by what majority would it need to be?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

26. He can't do that. States control their own election procedures, and only Congress

can change the national election day.

[durablend]

10. Is Dr. Fauci going to pay everyone's bills?

Or does he think everyone is like Trump with vaults (supposedly) stuffed with money?

[Haggis for Breakfast]

19. You're criticizing the wrong man here, pal.

[dewsgirl]

29. Indeed.

[totodeinhere]

25. Why should he pay anybody's bills?

He is doing the best he can. Trump is the one who is fucking things up, not him.

[GulfCoast66]

37. Over the line! The good doctor has been a public servant since 1969.

With his knowledge and experience he could have been a multi-millionaire many times over had he chosen to leave public service. He is THE expert on pandemics.

Only his testimony to Congress on Wednesday made even republicans realize this is some serious shit. And is the only reason trump is acting like we’ve got a problem. Had the good doctor been calling the shots what we are doing now would have been 4 weeks ago.

Trump would have loved to fire him, but that would have the slipping mask of competence right off his face.

It appears you think shutting everything down is overkill. All of Europe would disagree.

[Sapient Donkey]

38. How do you think containing this virus should be done? What steps would you rather see taken?

[jgmiller]

21. As others have said only congress has the power to set the election

Also while it's not written in the constitution the power of the federal governments derives from the states. State representatives created the constitution. Let's say congress became imobilized due to illness or death the states would then appoint or vote in new congressmen according their independant constitutions to reconstitute congress. Ultimately the "worst" that would happen is you would have 50 states effectively acting as independant republics and ignoring Trump if there was not effective federal congress.

Actually I fully expect some state in the next week (probably a southern one) to close their borders and assert states rights. Technically that violates the constitution but it's been done before. California did it during the depression and the dust bowl, going so far as stationing LAPD officers at the border to stop emmigrents.

[Beartracks]

27. Wasn't it just last week that Trump 's giant brain told us that..

... a mere 15 cases would quickly dwindle to two, and then the virus would be gone from our shores? Do you mean to tell me -- that is, has the White House ever acknowledged or apologized for the fact that -- Trump has no idea what he's talking about when air blows out between his lips??

=======

[cagefreesoylentgreen]

30. So where do all the homeless folks go?

They don’t have a house to self-quarantine in, among other things!

I won’t have the luxury of being a shut-in either, as I’m a first responder (the non-medical kind).

[beachbumbob]

31. this will be the "night of the Wheezing Dead" final play as the only way to

control spread AND reinfection is totally restrict movement and contact. Not likely to be done and if it is, way too late. We have to have the "bunker" mentality going forward and most americans just won't or can't do it

[Bernardo de La Paz]

32. Has this statement been confirmed by a reputable reliable non-sensationalist news source?

[totodeinhere]

34. No, Trump Can't Legally Use Coronavirus to Move the 2020 Election and Stay in Office Longer

https://lawandcrime.com/legal-analysis/calm-down-folks-donald-trump-cant-legally-use-the-coronavirus-to-move-2020-election-day-stay-in-office/

[marybourg]

35. The Daily Mail is trash