The total shutdown of North America over the COVID19 pandemic since about the middle of March 2020 has had a tremendous negative impact all around, particularly in how Democratic governors have become tyrannical, and loss of civil liberties has taken place (to say nothing of all the other serious issues which have come about).
After looking at the timeline of this pandemic, it would appear that a total shutdown was not necessary, provide the governments of the United States and Canada had acted in concert, and acted as soon as WHO announced that the coronavirus outbreak was a global health emergency.
This announcement was made on January 30, 2020: “The World Health Organization announced Thursday that the outbreak of a deadly and fast-spreading strain of coronavirus constitutes a global health emergency.” (NPR)
On January 31 the response from the administration was that “Any foreign national who has traveled within China in the last 14 days will not be allowed to enter the United States, according to a proclamation from President Trump.” A rather weak response. But incoming flights from China were not stopped immediately. Then on March 11 travel from 26 European countries was banned, and it was only on March 13, that a national emergency was declared. So for about a month and a half the US government did virtually nothing.
But here is how a total shutdown of the economy of North America could have been avoided completely.
1. QUARANTINE FACILITIES: Since the USA has had pandemics coming from China (and other parts of the world) on a regular basis, Mr. Trump should have ordered the setting up of proper quarantine facilities at every international airport and port soon after he took office. There are only 20 such facilities in the whole of America (and perhaps not even adequate for hordes of travelers).
2. BORDERS: Both the northern and southern borders should have been shut down completely on January 31 for a period of 30 days (subject to subsequent review).
3. INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS: All international travelers should have been quarantined on January 31, and released after proper testing.
4. INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS: All international flights into and from the USA should have been stopped on February 1, for a period of 30 days (subject to subsequent review).
5. CANADA: The Canadian government should also have been asked to shut down all international flights on February 1 for the same period. Lack of cooperation would result in serious repercussions.
6. INTERSTATE TRAVEL: All non-essential and non-emergency interstate travel should have been shut down for 30 days, following which the situation should have been assessed.
As one can see, the control of the entry of infected people from outside North America was a rather simple matter. But it needed to be enforced properly and immediately, and no exceptions should have been allowed. This would have easily prevented the total shut down of America, and all the issues it has raised (including the numbers who were infected and who died).
Furthermore, Dr. Ben Carson (an accomplished medical surgeon) is already in the Trump administration. There was nothing to stop him from being appointed as the Head of any task force put together to develop further strategies. He should have been the voice of the administration, and there was no need for Mr. Trump to have daily battles with the hostile media.
Since Trump vowed to drain the swamp, and Fauci and Birx were an integral part of the swamp, he did not fire them three years ago, and therefore they took control of the total fiasco which has subsequently occurred. Mr. Trump gets an F for failing to vet these conspirators and to set up a proper task force, as well as for failing to properly drain the swamp in every department.
Furthermore, the nation was allowed to be distracted and impoverished by the bogus Mueller Witch Hunt and the even more bogus Impeachment Hoax, all of which could have been (and should have been) shut down under the Constitution and existing laws. The Democrats had everyone focused on their phony impeachment efforts while the country was under attack.
After looking at the timeline of this pandemic, it would appear that a total shutdown was not necessary, provide the governments of the United States and Canada had acted in concert, and acted as soon as WHO announced that the coronavirus outbreak was a global health emergency.
This announcement was made on January 30, 2020: “The World Health Organization announced Thursday that the outbreak of a deadly and fast-spreading strain of coronavirus constitutes a global health emergency.” (NPR)
On January 31 the response from the administration was that “Any foreign national who has traveled within China in the last 14 days will not be allowed to enter the United States, according to a proclamation from President Trump.” A rather weak response. But incoming flights from China were not stopped immediately. Then on March 11 travel from 26 European countries was banned, and it was only on March 13, that a national emergency was declared. So for about a month and a half the US government did virtually nothing.
But here is how a total shutdown of the economy of North America could have been avoided completely.
1. QUARANTINE FACILITIES: Since the USA has had pandemics coming from China (and other parts of the world) on a regular basis, Mr. Trump should have ordered the setting up of proper quarantine facilities at every international airport and port soon after he took office. There are only 20 such facilities in the whole of America (and perhaps not even adequate for hordes of travelers).
2. BORDERS: Both the northern and southern borders should have been shut down completely on January 31 for a period of 30 days (subject to subsequent review).
3. INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS: All international travelers should have been quarantined on January 31, and released after proper testing.
4. INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS: All international flights into and from the USA should have been stopped on February 1, for a period of 30 days (subject to subsequent review).
5. CANADA: The Canadian government should also have been asked to shut down all international flights on February 1 for the same period. Lack of cooperation would result in serious repercussions.
6. INTERSTATE TRAVEL: All non-essential and non-emergency interstate travel should have been shut down for 30 days, following which the situation should have been assessed.
As one can see, the control of the entry of infected people from outside North America was a rather simple matter. But it needed to be enforced properly and immediately, and no exceptions should have been allowed. This would have easily prevented the total shut down of America, and all the issues it has raised (including the numbers who were infected and who died).
Furthermore, Dr. Ben Carson (an accomplished medical surgeon) is already in the Trump administration. There was nothing to stop him from being appointed as the Head of any task force put together to develop further strategies. He should have been the voice of the administration, and there was no need for Mr. Trump to have daily battles with the hostile media.
Since Trump vowed to drain the swamp, and Fauci and Birx were an integral part of the swamp, he did not fire them three years ago, and therefore they took control of the total fiasco which has subsequently occurred. Mr. Trump gets an F for failing to vet these conspirators and to set up a proper task force, as well as for failing to properly drain the swamp in every department.
Furthermore, the nation was allowed to be distracted and impoverished by the bogus Mueller Witch Hunt and the even more bogus Impeachment Hoax, all of which could have been (and should have been) shut down under the Constitution and existing laws. The Democrats had everyone focused on their phony impeachment efforts while the country was under attack.
