Biden’s Covid Advisor says US should lockdown again for 6 weeks
Pollemix News – 11 November, 2020
An advisor appointed to presumptive President-Elect Joe Biden’s Coronavirus advisory team suggested that the US impose a national lockdown for a 4-6 week period to prevent the country from entering “Covid Hell”. Dr Michael Osterholm, who is Director at the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, proposed a nationwide shutdown as a response to the recent spike in Covid infections, with in excess of 100,000 reported cases each of the last 9 days. Alarmingly, the fatality rate which was trending down has also increased of late with almost 2,000 deaths yesterday, the highest since early May.
During his campaign Biden said he would be guided by ‘the scientists’ when deciding the best course of action in combating the virus so it will be interesting to see how Biden responds to Osterholm’s recommendation, although he is likely to seek further input from other advisors before implementing a response plan. One expert who Biden will look to for guidance is almost certain to be Anthony Fauci, with both men publicly declaring their admiration for each other and Biden hinting during the campaign that Trump’s current Coronavirus taskforce advisor would be reappointed in a Biden administration. Surprisingly, Dr Fauci dissented from Osterholm’s position saying he would prefer to avoid a shutdown as there is “no appetite for locking down the American public.”
Although cases are on the rise again a nationwide lockdown would be a difficult sell to a public already weary from “lockdown fatigue” and the economic fallout of the first shutdown, thus Biden’s Covid response will be crucial to his Presidential legacy if he is indeed inaugurated.
