Covid-19: Both National and State Government Have Failed; Local Government Trying

As of noon on April 2, the state Department of Health reports 378 Covid-19 cases in Northampton County, with 9 deaths. In Lehigh County, there are 479 cases but just 5 deaths. In the Lehigh Valley, the current mortality rate is 1.6%. Statewide, the mortality rate is 1.3%. Nationwide, CDC reports a 2.1% fatality rate as of yesterday.

This is about ten times the fatality rate of seasonal flu, but does not include people who were never tested for Covid-19 and who had the virus but were asymptomatic. According to aggressive testing in Iceland, as much as 50% of those with Covid-19 never know it. If this is corroborated by additional testing, this would mean the fatality rate is actually much lower, but still far more lethal than seasonal flu.

In addition to testing at least 13% of its population thus far, Iceland also does contact tracing with all persons who have been in contact with a positive result. It also employs a strict quarantine on those infected. As a result, it has been able to avoid the lockdowns and business closures that have been prevalent in much of Europe as well as the United States. What Iceland does is similar to the practice employed in South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, a public health official at the spearhead of the virus crisis, has conceded CDC's "failure" to develop and implement a test.

This failure has devastated the economy and the normal functioning of government. State Governors like Tom Wolf are imposing business shutdowns that have been unevenly enforced and with no consideration to the millions who have been negatively impacted. Yesterday, it was impossible to access the state benefits site for food stamps and cash assistance, while the unemployment site has crashed repeatedly.

Local government has been more responsive. Many municipalities, with some glaring exceptions, have extended tax deadlines and are still trying to serve their communities.

Most recently, Northampton County's Judge Craig Dally still convened Drug Court at a time when those in early recovery are tempted to stray. The County Government has dedicated a floor at its nursing home as an isolation unit. It has gathered and distributed personal protective equipment to numerous first responders. All inmates have been moved from the Work Release facility in West Easton to a building on S. Union Street in Easton. West Easton's Center for low-risk offenders is being prepared in case Northampton County requires a staging area or field hospital as it responds to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The West Easton facility has an open barracks set up. If any inmate tests positive or showed symptom of Covid-19, the entire facility would have to be quarantined. At the Community Corrections facility on S. Union Street, inmates can be housed in smaller groups and will be closer to medical resources in the Northampton County Prison.

The Work Release Facility in West Easton has a 120 bed capacity, a large classroom for briefings and a kitchen which can be used to warm food. It can be used for medical needs or as a quarantine site.