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"To Get Our Economy Moving, Focus On Testing For Coronavirus" (Steve Forbes / Ashish K. Jha)
Forbes ^ | April 8 2020 | Steve Forbes/Dr. Ashish K. Jha

Posted on 04/20/2020 10:11:45 AM PDT by rintintin

This piece by Dr. Ashish K. Jha, Director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, is absolutely crucial reading, especially by Washington policymakers handling the COVID-19 crisis. It puts forth the steps that must be taken immediately if we are to reopen the economy as soon as possible without a resurgence of this ghastly disease. The key is a rapid ramp-up of testing:

The COVID-19 pandemic is taking an unprecedented toll on Americans and on the country’s daily life. President Trump has said he wants to open up again—we all do. The real question is how we reopen in a way that lets us stay open. Here’s what it will take.

The single most important tool we’ll need is an extensive testing infrastructure. Right now, we’re testing approximately 150,000 people a day. That’s nowhere near enough. In most states, if you have mild symptoms, you are advised not to get a test but, instead, to self-quarantine at home. This strategy, borne out of a shortage of testing capacity, has meant that we don’t know the true burden of disease, and those quarantining themselves at home are often still spreading it to family members. Furthermore, we now know that a large proportion of people who spread the disease to others have no symptoms at all—and we certainly aren’t testing them. Without adequate testing, we don’t know how many are infected, where the virus is spreading or where the hotspots are. We’re on a battlefield wearing blindfolds.

Sweeping social-distancing measures are required, because we can’t properly identify who is sick or who has already been sick and developed immunity. There’s no option to more specifically target those who are infected. Compare the U.S.’ response to that of South Korea,

(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; US: Michigan; US: New York
KEYWORDS: andrewcuomo; ashishkjha; billdeblasio; coronavirus; forbes; gretchenwhitmer; liberaltarians; libertarians; losertarians; medicalmarijuana; michigan; newyork; newyorkcity; steveforbes
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Taiwan and South Korea used mass testing to keep their economies open.

Ever notice that Dr Birx and Fauci don't talk up the need for mass testing? Just the opposite, Birx for a long time was saying only those with significant symptoms needed testing.

Coincidentally (?) , this policy played into the hands of those who want to shut down the whole economy, because without testing we don't know who has the virus and who doesn't. Since anybody can be a carrier, nobody should be free to leave their house!

Testing is the key to freeing the economy - as in Taiwan. Those who test positive stay home, those who test negative keep going to work and keep their businesses open.

Do you think it's a coincidence that the US public health experts who seem so excited about being able to close the economy, seem so uninterested in expanding testing?

1 posted on 04/20/2020 10:11:45 AM PDT by rintintin
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To: rintintin
Maybe you should stop posting this idiocy.

Dr. Fauci explained exactly why mass testing is completely useless in this case, and I've posted that explanation here on FR every time I've read your silly claim that testing 330 million people -- apparently on an hourly basis, since that's the only way it would be effective -- is even possible, let alone necessary.

2 posted on 04/20/2020 10:14:42 AM PDT by Alberta's Child ("And somewhere in the darkness ... the gambler, he broke even.")
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To: rintintin

I’ll test if I show symptoms. Other than that it’s the mark of the beast.


3 posted on 04/20/2020 10:14:54 AM PDT by circlecity
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To: rintintin

You have a point to the degree that once they’ve done roughly 30 million antibody tests it will become evident to all that the original models were crap.

But testing everyone is never going to happen.


4 posted on 04/20/2020 10:15:14 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog (Patrick Henry would have been an anti-vaxxer)
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To: rintintin

Oh...would you please stop?! Even Fauci understands this doesn’t work...sheesh m


5 posted on 04/20/2020 10:15:14 AM PDT by goodnesswins (Anyone tired of the Chinese Fire Drill (tm) yet???)
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To: rintintin

Testing is the tool the rats are going to use keep the country closed. The rat Governors are already using it to move the goalposts. There will never be enough and there is no end to it.


6 posted on 04/20/2020 10:16:00 AM PDT by gibsonguy
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To: rintintin

God bless him, he’s in there battling like nobody else was up for. But Trump should have gone authoritarian on using the DPA to get a gazillion tests built 6-8 weeks ago.

Sure, they’d move on to something else to gripe about, but people have been stressed about not being able to get tested for months now.


7 posted on 04/20/2020 10:17:08 AM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: rintintin

God bless him, he’s in there battling like nobody else was up for. But Trump should have gone authoritarian on using the DPA to get a gazillion tests built 6-8 weeks ago.

Sure, they’d move on to something else to gripe about, but people have been stressed about not being able to get tested for months now.


8 posted on 04/20/2020 10:17:09 AM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: rintintin
Anyone on this site who thinks it makes any sense at all to conduct mandatory widespread testing should ask themselves one simple question:

Would you ever give the FBI and/or a FISA court judge access to your test results?

'Eff that sh!t. Go away, dude.

9 posted on 04/20/2020 10:17:31 AM PDT by Alberta's Child ("And somewhere in the darkness ... the gambler, he broke even.")
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To: rintintin

I don’t mean to be disagreeable, but how is this really supposed to work? We all get tested, and people go back to work, but the police can stop you at any time and say “Papers, please.” And then you have to show your test results to prove that you are allowed to move about freely within the country?

Is that what it’s coming down to?

I’m not necessarily against the Testing (but I won’t be taking Bill Gates’ vaccine). I would like the economy to re-open. But I don’t want to see the re-opening of the economy tied to mandatory testing.


10 posted on 04/20/2020 10:18:06 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (If White Privilege is real, why did Elizabeth Warren lie about being an Indian?)
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To: gibsonguy

Testing is the tool the rats are going to use keep the country closed.

Just the opposite. It’s the tool that Taiwan has used to keep their country open.

Yes, it’s a logistical challenge in the US. But we’re wealthy enough and smart enough to meet the challenge. For starters, you roll it out city by city or region by region.

Like building a skyscraper, you start from the ground up.


11 posted on 04/20/2020 10:19:19 AM PDT by rintintin (qu)
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To: rintintin

So what’s our answer for those either tested positive or in limbo quarantining at home with others, in apartment buildings, etc.

Without something to do with them, how much of a difference really does the testing make for that?

Where it does make a difference is in getting people with mild symptoms treatment in time. By the time they are having trouble breathing it is too often too late.


12 posted on 04/20/2020 10:19:27 AM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: Alberta's Child

It is timing, correct? You may test negative, be exposed as soon as you leave the doctors office, and the assumption would be that you don’t have the virus.

Also how long does it take for the test to be done. Days? A week?

And how often do you have to be retested?


13 posted on 04/20/2020 10:19:59 AM PDT by dhs12345
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To: ClearCase_guy

how is this really supposed to work?

It works in Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong. At the risk of stereotyping, they’re practical people, and they know they can’t afford to have their economies closed.


14 posted on 04/20/2020 10:20:40 AM PDT by rintintin (qu)
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To: rintintin
BS -a one-time test only is as good as that moment in time, so the "experts" will continue you need to be tested again this week or maybe two or three times per week as "we can't trust that you aren't sick now, but you might be later this week and certainly will be later.

The only tests worth while are those that test to see if you've had it, gotten over it or never had any symptoms what-so-ever!

15 posted on 04/20/2020 10:21:41 AM PDT by zerosix (native sunflower)
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To: rintintin

I think anyone who returns to work or are already employed by May 1, 2020 will have to be tested for coronavirus antibodies by the end of May 2020. In short, I may have to be blood-tested soon....


16 posted on 04/20/2020 10:22:19 AM PDT by RayChuang88 (FairTax: America's Economic Cure)
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To: rintintin

OK, try to understand. You cannot test for coronavirus DAILY to base keeping a working economy going.

Check for the antibodies-— prior exposure with immunity.n

It is clear, from the edited interview with Gates-— that the investors who want to force a vaccine.... do NOT want herd immunity developing (thereby negating any need for a required vaccine to this bio-engineered weapon from china).

They ARE the same ones who do not want mass testing-— which would show the nearly .0001% factual rate of infection. And also showing why, for their “models” they are combining causality of death with SARSCoV2-CCP virus.... to JUKE the numbers....just “because”. Simply irresponsible.

We will open our economy, people will practice the distancing and hygeine needed to slow this to.... nothing. Then we will see.

The ones wanting to stretch this out (like Fauci on good morning america this AM for example) WANT the continuing degradation of business and dependency on govt. fake money to continue, and think this will take down the landslide.


17 posted on 04/20/2020 10:22:54 AM PDT by John S Mosby (Sic Semper Tyrannis)
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To: ClearCase_guy

I don’t want to see the re-opening of the economy tied to mandatory testing.

I suspect a lot of businesses will require testing of prospective job applicants, and of customers. They don’t want to be petrie dishes for virus outbreaks. They don’t want to be the next carnival cruise.

In fact, sport league executives are already talking about quick-testing fans before letting them in the stadiums.

You’d be free to not take the test. They’d be free not to let you in. Freedom goes for business owners too — just like they’re free to keep people out who don’t wear shirts or shoes. Or they’re free not to hire somebody who refuses to take a drug test.


18 posted on 04/20/2020 10:24:46 AM PDT by rintintin (qu)
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To: rintintin

This isn’t Taiwan. Taiwan’s goal and motivation was to get their country open. Here the MSM/DNC has objective is the opposite. They will pervert the process to use the testing as the main tool to keep the country closed until the economy so crushed it has no possibility of anything that resembles recovery before November.


19 posted on 04/20/2020 10:25:34 AM PDT by gibsonguy
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To: dhs12345
That's exactly right. It's baffling that so many Freepers don't seem to understand this.

Actually, it shouldn't be baffling at all. I love this site, but it's clear to me that the average IQ here has declined by about 20 points since I joined in late 2000.

20 posted on 04/20/2020 10:26:30 AM PDT by Alberta's Child ("And somewhere in the darkness ... the gambler, he broke even.")
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