Ex-Obama Health Chief Goes Viral for Thread on How US Could ‘Virtually Eliminate’ Virus: Can Do it ‘Any Time We Decide to’
A top health official under former President Barack Obama is going viral for a Twitter thread in which he argues that the U.S. can “virtually eliminate” the coronavirus in a matter of weeks, if it chooses to.
In a 38-tweet dispatch on Sunday night, Andy Slavitt — the former acting head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under Obama — laid out his case for the U.S. being able to crush the curve in less than two months.
“We can virtually eliminate the virus any time we decide to,” Slavitt wrote. “We can be back to a reasonably normal existence: schools, travel, job growth, safer nursing homes & other settings.”
And we could do it in a matter of weeks. If we want to.
We can be back to a reasonably normal existence: schools, travel, job growth, safer nursing homes & other settings.
And we could do it in a matter of weeks. If we want to. 2/
— Andy Slavitt @ ? (@ASlavitt) July 26, 2020
Slavitt pointed to nations which have been hard hit by the virus — predominantly in Europe — and argued that they have given the U.S. a blueprint for battling Covid-19.
“[D]on’t tell me the U.S. can’t take action if we want to,” Slavitt wrote.
But don’t tell me the U.S. can’t take action if we want to.
And we can’t face the families of 150,000 people who didn’t have to die & tell them this had to happen.
And I think it’s why our national political leaders won’t go near these families & the grieving process. 7/ pic.twitter.com/mhNH4EdwuY
— Andy Slavitt @ ? (@ASlavitt) July 26, 2020
The good news— and it is good news— is we are always 4-6 weeks from being able to do what countries around the world have done.8/
— Andy Slavitt @ ? (@ASlavitt) July 26, 2020
The former health official went on to spell out what he believes it would take for the U.S. to get rid of the virus. In a six-point plan, Slavitt called for a 90 percent lockdown — which would include; a ban on travel into the U.S., a ban on interstate travel, and the closure of restaurants, bars, churches, and mass transit.
So let’s define the kitchen sink:
1. start with universal mask wearing. We didn’t do this in Mar-April and let’s chalk it up to faulty instructions. But we know better now.
2. Keep the bars & restaurants & churches & transit closed. All hot spots.
3. Prohibit interstate travel10/— Andy Slavitt @ ? (@ASlavitt) July 26, 2020
6. Instead of 50% lockdown (which is what we did in March in April), let’s say it’s a 90% lockdown.
Meaning most of the Americans who couldn’t stay home in April because they were picking crops or driving trucks or working in health care would stay home with us. 12/
— Andy Slavitt @ ? (@ASlavitt) July 26, 2020
Slavitt claimed that, initially, “COVID truthers would have a field day,” because there wouldn’t be much change, at first. But within eight weeks, the rate of transmission would drop to .3-.5 — meaning that an area which had 60,000 cases would have less than 60.
So what would happen?
At first, absolutely nothing.
Cases would still grow from the prior weeks & the incubation period. Hospitals would still be full. We would still see people die.
The COVID truthers would have a field day, tweeting every day the same routine. 16/
— Andy Slavitt @ ? (@ASlavitt) July 26, 2020
How does that work? Some of the fancy people call this “exponential decay.” I call it #Zachsmath. Explained here.
Or just multiply 60,000 x .5. And then .5 again until you do it 10 times. Like Zach does. And other high schoolers. 20/ https://t.co/aJxLL9XD1E
— Andy Slavitt @ ? (@ASlavitt) July 26, 2020
So after 8 weeks, you don’t have 0 cases but you have embers.
A small enough number that someone in the health department in a big city could call them on the phone in one morning.
In a small city, you could feed them w 2 large pizzas.
In a small town, it would be Earl. 21/
— Andy Slavitt @ ? (@ASlavitt) July 26, 2020
