I've been highly critical of the leadership displayed by Governor Tom Wolf and President Donald Trump during the Covid-19 crisis. But I'll say this much about Wolf. He's at least been consistent. The federal government, however, has been notoriously inconsistent. Even though Covid-19 has taken 130,000 American lives, President Donald Trump is
attacking his own CDC over how to open schools safely. Inconsistent messaging from Trump and other federal officials about face masks has created a groundswell of Trump worshipers who equate this minor inconvenience with a deprivation of basic personal freedom. This, unfortunately, has contributed to the spread of a disease that is already far too virulent. Countries that have been successful dealing with Covid-19 have employed different tactics. Some rely on heavy testing. Others on isolation. But the one thing they have all had in common is consistency. America's Covid-19 messaging has been a failure.
Here's how public health expert
Thespina (Nina) Yamanis puts it:
Studies show that when officials are transparent and accountable to the public – explaining who is vulnerable in an outbreak, what is known and unknown about the disease and the steps necessary to control its spread – it enhances public trust.
Trust, in turn, aids compliance.
But when health messaging is vague, inconsistent or unrealistic, it engenders the kind of confusion, misinformation and non-cooperation now seen in some of the world’s hardest-hit countries.
Wolf has been inflexible, extreme but definitely consistent. Being incapable of independent thought, he follows Cuomo and Murphy as they maintain control of their East coast lemmings. Very predictable, humorless and boring to watch. Clueless man with a PhD who qualifies for a spot on the Biden ticket.
ReplyDeleteTrump thrives in chaos, that's why he sows it. If anybody thinks he has ever cared one bit for the plight of the regular joe I've got a bridge to sell ya. All he cares about is himself...that's all this has ever been about.
ReplyDeleteWhy, just today President "Handling It" said he'd be wearing a mask. That's going to solve everything!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately neither party is transparent nor accountable to the public, in regard to health issues, COVID, budget, legislative intent, the fact that not all Republicans want black people to die and not all Democrats want white people enslaved, etc.
ReplyDeletePolitical transparency means tell the public what they want them to know.
ReplyDeleteThis has been a disaster! Trump doesn’t care about it, has moved on, and we, Americans, have to deal with it! We live in this, work in this and now will send our children to school with this! Little guidance and miscommunication from Trump! He is worse than Herbert Hoover!
ReplyDeletePeople already don’t trust government and with his misinformation on medications, numbers, etc!
Japan and Hong Kong, where they wear masks religiously, have it under control, few cases and fewer deaths!
Having a Populist President doesn’t work in a Pandemic!
@9:00AM - WHAT?!?!? That's not what my Facebook news and Twitter feed tell me! My team is awesome and cares about where our nation is going. Their team is evil and hell bent on destroying this country and we need to do everything we can to stop them!
ReplyDelete"notoriously inconsistent"
ReplyDeleteYup....lies and falsehoods are just like that, if fact, that's how most people distinguish between lies and the truth.
Absolutely nothing that "happens", or what they deem "news" to focus on in an election is an accident or happenstance, it's all about the election.
Trump can lie all he wants, he only needs to be truthful about one thing and he is, the Main Stream Media is your worst enemy. No other entity on earth can destroy this country so completely than the MSM, and anyone with money in the entire world, friend or foe, can just start, buy, or influence, an outlet and go to work with little scrutiny.
Just look what the MSN has done just since Super Tuesday when the overwhelming majority of people's health concerns was about their ever changing health plan, medical coverage and Universal Healthcare. Is there any wonder why the Doctors and hospitals would play along with the current MSM narrative with so much of their own grift at stake?
The big lie is the truth.
This virus has been politicized to the point that no one has any credibility. That includes the WHO, the CDC, the Governors, the media. That is why no one is paying much attention anymore. The public cooperated for as long as they were able, it is now mostly ignored. Eventually it will run its course and likely become a distant memory after Nov. 4.
ReplyDeleteEverything is political, they have debased everything, there is no trust in the Judicial system, the media, sports, advertisers, nothing. You are now all on your own.
ReplyDeleteCOVID. Is still being figured out. No one had all the answers. They still don't. It's no one's fault. It's a pandemic
ReplyDeleteWe know enough to know that anyo0ne who won't wear a mask when around others is a big part of the problems.
ReplyDeleteI admit, when this started to escalate in March, I thought the shutdown was a total overreaction. Now, though, I am becoming more and more alarmed — yes, four months into this, rather than my concerns being allayed, my concern is heightened. I will say, I am so confused and frustrated because we are still getting so much misinformation.
ReplyDelete9:25, you show signs of an open mind.
ReplyDeleteApparently our medical system will have to crash (further) before a lot of people get the point. Or maybe they need to see their kids being send back to schools where they won't be safe.
Trump's first job should have been to make sure we had accurate information. The second job was to act competently on that information.
ReplyDeleteHe's done neither. A century from now, Americans will be amazed that this ever happened.
Do Trump supporters actually believe that the virus is going to get better anytime soon?
ReplyDelete