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How States Can Tackle Covid-19 in the Absence of Federal Support
The White House has abandoned states. Here’s some advice for frustrated governors.
I had a call with a Republican governor of a state in trouble and it gave me a sense of where we are. Here is what I learned.
The biggest concern is in rural communities. Some 90% of people in urban areas are wearing masks and spread is in better control. Rural community spread is from large family and community gatherings without masks.
This compares to the spring in the Northeast where spread was almost entirely in urban areas and to summer when it spread in Southern states more evenly. Governor believes masks and public health compliance are the biggest difference.
There’s also no expectations of help from the federal government. Interaction with FDA, CDC, and White House Task Force were surprisingly limited. The sense of “we are on our own” was complete and final.
This was a marked difference from the spring when states were still hoping for federal government support of some kind. Trump wanted 50 states, with 50 sets of resources, bidding for the same things against one another with no central guidance. That’s what we have.
