By late May, we should know whether certain US states collected on a major gamble or committed a hideous error by reopening their economies.
If a tide of sickness and death overwhelms the early openers, lockdowns may return, making Americans’ trudge back toward normal economic life even slower and more painful. But if infections can be kept at manageable levels, these pioneers may begin to piece together a vision of the “new normal” that everyone keeps talking about.
The White House, which always creates a version of reality to fit its political goals, wants to revive the economy asap — a key to President Donald Trump winning reelection in November. But it has failed to build a testing and tracing infrastructure to ensure a safe return to business.
The lockdown’s deprivations are imposing their own dire consequences. But politicians and pundits who champion this cause rarely acknowledge the potential medical consequences without resorting to magical thinking.