I disagree this is mainly a govt overreach issue. I think that’s a framing
Which keeps everything so politically charged that learning lessons becomes difficult. This is what I mean - in NYC, it really wasn’t the govt that shut the city down in March ‘20. It was the people. Corporations made their decisions as hospitals became overwhelmed, and the city govt caught up. I remember being sent home for a day in early March to test and verify that I could carry out my day to day from home. 2 weeks later, I was in full WFH mode.
Govts were also deeply divided in how to deal with school closures. Constant back and forth between local officials, school boards, and teachers, about when to open, how to open, what measures to institute in schools, etc.
So, don’t get me wrong - there are clearly bound to be examples of things we’d call “govt overreach”. Really, there was more going on. Old fart that I am, I absolutely hated working from home. On July 1, 2020 CT loosened its restrictions and my firm opened optionally for anyone wanting to come back. I jumped at it, and for months it was like driving to work on a Sunday. Very few other people jumped at it - in general, and in my firm. Social distancing was not a problem. It was not govt forcing people to stay home.
All over the country schools tried to open and teacher unions resisted. Schools opened and immediately closed again when outbreaks occurred. Schools opened and half the kids stayed home anyway. Along with examples of schools staying closed as many in the community protested they needed to be opened.
Imo we should resist the partisan attraction of framing this in tired old political grievance language. Govt overreach isn’t the problem. It was I’m sure the problem in some places. In others, govt tried to open and communities stayed home anyway. It was an unprecedented pandemic about which we had to implement policy as we learned, so, problems are not surprising, and politics will only ensure we’ll make all the same mistakes again if something similar happens.
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In response to this post by SysHoo)
Posted: 11/21/2023 at 09:24AM