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San Mateo County, alone among SF Bay Area counties, resists another shutdown. Health Official explains greater restrictions "will result in more job loss, more hunger, more despair and desperation, and more death from causes other than COVID." He's right. https://www.smchealth.org/health-officer-updates/december-7-2020-health-officer-statement
Scott Morrow, San Mateo County Health Officer: "Just because one has the legal authority to do something, doesn’t mean one has to use it, or that using it is the best course of action."
"I’m not sure we know what we’re doing... I look at surrounding counties who have been much more restrictive than I have been, and wonder what it’s bought them. Now, some of them, are in a worse spot than we are."
"What we have before us is a symbolic gesture, it appears to be style over substance... and I simply don’t believe it'll do much good. Some of you think I (or the govt) have magical abilities to change everyone’s behavior, but I assure you, I (we) do not."
"I am aware of no data that some of the business activities on which even greater restrictions are being put into place with this new order are the major drivers of transmission."
"I also believe these greater restrictions will result in more job loss, more hunger, more despair and desperation..., and more death from causes other than COVID. And I wonder, are these premature deaths any less worrisome than COVID deaths?"
"I don’t see us (governmental public health) looking at data other than case rates and positivity rates and hospital rates in order to make balanced decisions. When you only look at one thing, you only see one thing."
"I have grave concerns about the unintended consequences of reducing our grocery store capacity to 20%. The SAH order will [also] make it more difficult for schools to open or to stay open."
There are, in my opinion, some misinformed conclusions in this letter, but there is also much wisdom and insight -- which seem to be rare commodities among US officials & experts these days. I suggest you read the whole thing and share it widely.
