Heroes of Our Time

COVID-19 and Strategy

"We believe the current risk to this virus is low," Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said at a press conference on Friday. "For families sitting around the dinner table tonight, this is not something they need to worry about." (Source: CNN, January 17, 2020)

In mid-January the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) deployed 100 workers at three international airports in the United States to monitor for the coronavirus. This unusual action was taken after two Chinese reportedly died from the virus and 45 had been infected. 

Anecdotal information, given that it comes from the Chinese government, suggests the virus was detected in mid-December. Regardless of your faith in the Chinese government or our own, coronavirus, or covid-19 as it is now called, is a pandemic with no end in sight for the US.

It is a global pandemic per the World Health Organization (WHO) and as such one would presume there is a coherent and consistent strategy for responding. Not so. Each country has (or not) built their strategy as a day-by day evolution of policy - from testing to social or physical distancing to shelter-in-place. From much that I could say, the US has failed, glaringly so, in strategically meeting this challenge. The worst part of it is that they could of had and should of had a playbook ready to go - they did not and do not. Many lives will be lost because of this.

Esri COVID-19 Resources

John Hopkins COVID-19 Resources

West Virginia COVID-19 Resources