Today, we're excited to launch a refresh of our weekly round-up, now known as the Weekly Spotlight. To new readers, welcome! And to our long-time Weekly Reader subscribers, we'll be delivering the same content you've come to expect every Saturday—and more commentary on today's latest news and developments.
The ongoing coronavirus outbreak shows that the government needs to communicate accurately, operate transparently, and have sufficient resources and well-developed plans in place. Without these elements, the government cannot respond early and effectively, and the public can’t act accordingly. They are critical to containing outbreaks before they become widespread or slowing down their spread to prevent a pandemic disease from overwhelming our healthcare system.
What’s happening today is not completely unprecedented. In the wake of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, the Government Accountability Office found that consistent and accurate communication from the federal government is important to avoid confusion among healthcare professionals and the general public alike. But last week, President Donald Trump said, “Anybody that wants a test can get a test” for coronavirus. As Senator James Lankford (R-OK) told a reporter, “That is not accurate right now." Health and infectious disease experts should have open permission to respond to inquiries from public officials, press, and medical professionals seeking information. This is not the time for political filters or manipulations, but for facts.
Looking farther down the road, a vaccine for coronavirus will eventually be developed, but as POGO has previously written, the government needs to be transparent about its vaccine procurement, including planned vaccine quantities and the timetable for production and distribution.
During a pandemic, trustworthy information is a crucial part of the cure.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.