Pls don't let anyone tell you the lockdown was a total waste. The federal .gov may have wasted that time, but some states have done a lot. Should we be reopening? No. We're doing it bc there's been no meaningful financial relief. But we staggered a lot of cases & gave states time

The folks claiming it's all for nothing are not being analytical. And what they're doing, from a place of emotion, is dangerous. Bc if you erase the good ppl did by staying in, they're less likely to cooperate the next time they're asked to stay home & there will be a next time.

Please also consider what the mask advisories were like at the beginning of shelter in place. Not great. The guidance has since improved considerably since then. And we're now learning that mask wearing outdoors can make an even bigger difference than we thought. That's huge.

We may never know how important this time was for scientists trying to catch up with the moment. Experts were previously faced with a virus that was on an unthinkable trajectory, a virus that was about to destroy the best medical systems in the world. Y'all bought them some time.

As someone who was charting the early trajectory of this thing, I will tell you, I was panic stricken. I thought we were pretty fucked. But then a lot of y'all took action to reduce the harm. Incredibly successful action. Many, many people are alive right now who would be dead.

The mutual aid efforts that have arisen during this time have also had time to grow, as have other efforts. It's true our best mutual aid efforts will not help everyone, but many more ppl will be helped than would have been & I also think we are cultivating something larger.

I don't know what's coming. No one does. I feel reassured of that and comforted by it tbh. Human potential runs in more than one direction. Everyone who did their best w shelter in place participated in a collective act that has saved countless lives. There's a lesson there too.