Coronavirus Article of the Day - April 3, 2020

[Art]

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/editorials/trump-couldnt-reopen-the-economy-now-even-if-he-wanted-to

[barretcreek]

Lock down leaves the workforce idling, in neutral. Anxious to get back to work. Ending lock down puts the virus in charge, potentially decimating the workforce leaving no one to pick up the slack when it tapers off.

[Vern Humphrey]

Lock down leaves the workforce idling, in neutral. Anxious to get back to work. Ending lock down puts the virus in charge, potentially decimating the workforce leaving no one to pick up the slack when it tapers off.

"Decimate" means to kill every tenth man. I don't think there's any evidence that will happen.

[togor]

"Decimate" means to kill every tenth man. I don't think there's any evidence that will happen.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=decimate

The word has multiple meanings, with barretcreeks' usage listed among them.

Stats say that the uncontrolled rate of increase is 35%/day in the higher latitude cool seasons, and perhaps around 20%/day in the warmer climates, which may include the higher latitude warm seasons.

Some math: 1.35 x 1.35 x 1.35 = 2.46, which is a doubling < 3 days.

While 1.1 x 1.1 x 1.1 = 1.331, or increase by 1/3rd in 3 days.

Keeping the rate down makes buys time and allows for people who do need to work (e.g. to feed us) to keep at it without concluding that they're doomed. Opening things up too soon from that perspective is like giving into the virus, and in the short run things will be much worse as it becomes everyone for themselves for a time.

As a military historian, Vernon should know the value of preserving discipline in the ranks, even in the most adverse of circumstances.