Imagine

April 22, 2020

Imagine a different President handing the pandemic. In early January, when word of the viral infection began to leak out of China and US intelligence services were reporting about it to the President, she would call in the leadership of the CDC to get an analysis of the threat. If they were not ready, she would make it a priority.

When her experts report that the virus spreads very quickly and has an unknown, but potentially high mortality rate, she asks for recommendations on how to react.

Imagine that she would immediately call Chairman Xi. If he minimizes the severity of the threat, she would say, in no uncertain terms, that her intelligence agencies tell her that there is a threat of a worldwide pandemic She would insist that full disclosure and working together is the only way to maintain an economic relationship with the US.

Imagine that she would invite the head of the WHO to the White House to learn, first-hand, what they see as the threat. She would pledge the full support of the US to help them track the spread of the virus. She would call for a meeting of the UN Security Council for a report from the head of the WHO.

It would now be January 20 and the first case is reported in the US.

Imagine that she would call together the leaders in Congress. She would have the CDC experts explain that the virus threatens the whole country, and that there needs to be a national bipartisan plan to deal with it. She would appoint a small group of leaders from the White House, Congress and the CDC to coordinate the response and tell them that she needs a report in five days.

Imagine that she would call for an emergency meeting of the G-20. She would argue for an international strategy, sharing medical information, coordinating research on drugs to treat those who are infected and research on a vaccine. Every nation would agree to participate in a working group of their best public health experts to set priorities on the work and to avoid duplication.

Imagine that she would meet with the leadership of the National Governors Conference. She would explain that the federal government will set a national policy based on expert advice but that she will need a strong partnership with the Governors to implement that policy. She will seek their input and use it to determine which functions are most efficiently handled at the federal level and which should be handled state-by-state.

Imagine that she would address the nation, explaining that the coronavirus is real, that it is dangerous, and calling for a unified nationwide effort to limit the illnesses and deaths. She will explain that there will be a need for sacrifice by all Americans to limit the physical health and economic toll it will take.

Based on information from other countries and expert analysis, she would determine that a national policy of testing and contact tracing is the best way to limit the spread of the virus over time. She would mobilize testing laboratories to create, manufacture and distribute the necessary tests.

Imagine that she would mobilize FEMA and the Army to make a daily national analysis of hospitals’ need for personal protective equipment and ventilators, and to distribute them to hospitals on an as-needed basis.

It would now be February 20.

Working with the Governors, the CDC and state health agencies, she would develop detailed and uniform guidelines for closing businesses, restricting travel, and social distancing to limit the spread of the virus. She will ask Governors to issue appropriate orders for their states. The initial orders will be for 2 to 4 weeks with the flexibility to reduce or increase the time based on the spread of the virus.

Imagine that she would work with Congress on legislation to fund increased unemployment benefits to everyone who cannot work because of these actions, bringing their remuneration up to 100% of their prior income.

Imagine that she would schedule a regular update to the nation, possibly 3 times each week, 30 minutes long, presented by a bipartisan group of Governors, members of Congress and leaders of the CDC. She would invite members of the news media to a daily background briefing on the progress on the development of treatments and a vaccine, and control of the spread of the disease. The American people would see a credible, consistent response across all major institutions involved in fighting the pandemic.

Imagine that she would bring together business leaders, including representatives of small businesses and labor unions, to work with public health experts to plan a strategy covering when and how to reopen businesses, permit travel and to determine what public health measures need to remain in effect for longer periods of time.

It would now be April 20 and most businesses have reopened. Testing for the virus would be available and required weekly for every employee not working from home. Imagine the President would call for volunteers, forming vast family of people, perhaps energized young Americans, to be trained to find and test anyone who had been in contact with employees who test positive. Regional military bases, hotels and other facilities would be available to quarantine for 14 days anyone who contracts the disease.

Imagine all the people sharing all the world. You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one.