Trump & No Pants Surveillance (March 11, 2020)

The lack of diagnostic testing for acute illness is reckless enough, but hides in plain sight an even deeper failure. Thanks to Trump we have essentially no fulsome Epidemiologic Surveillance Testing being done for Covid-19 today in the US, because testing is so choked. Can’t find what you don’t look for.

One exception stands out. The New Rochelle, NY lawyer case, investigated with proper contact tracing, has found 50 infections in his wake. Compare that to the estimated number of 2-3 new cases per infected individual most models have been using. Trump’s deliberate malfeasance gives life to a modern rendition of the Emperor With No Clothes with a side of an Epidemiologic Tale of Woe. There are tears to come.