Public Statement on Massachusetts’ Emergency Order Aiming to Curb the Spread of the Coronavirus

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on
LinkedIn
+

Governor Baker’s issuance of an emergency order is a wake-up call to recognize the extraordinary actions needed at this moment to stem the upsurge in coronavirus infections. It is also a reminder to be vigilant about our liberties.

Scientific evidence and international experience strongly suggest that a two- and even three-week period isolating residents is necessary to stop the virus from spreading further. We are pleased that the governor’s order exempted key sectors that are necessary to keep the economy going, and we believe that new care capacity must be secured to ensure that our hospitals focus on those most in need of specialized services.

The state and the country are learning in real time, and we believe that the South Korean model for containing this virus is worth close study. Early engagement of the private sector to ramp up viral testing combined with policies to isolate early infections and protect the uninfected at-risk populations may have slowed and even reversed the spread of the virus thus avoiding the actions taken here and in many states, which themselves will have severe impacts on individuals’ well-being. After the danger passes, we believe that the state and federal governments should engage a panel of experts with a clear mandate and a clear timeline to devise protocols to combat future outbreaks without such drastic impacts on life, economic prosperity, and liberty.

But in this moment we are living through, we urge all to demonstrate patience and isolate themselves for the good of the Commonwealth and its people.

Get Our COVID-19 News, Tips & Resources!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Related Content:

COVID-19 Roundup from Pioneer: Will plans to re-open hurt civil liberties?; COVID-19 model skeptic; SCOTUS returns!; New podcast, HubWonk; 5 Tips for online learning & more!

/
Pioneer staff share their top picks for COVID-19 stories highlighting useful resources, best practices, and questions we should be asking our public and private sector leaders.

Which industry’s workforce has been hurt the most from the COVID-19 outbreak?

/
Unemployment claims have reached all-time highs in the U.S. recently…

New Study Calls for Re-thinking Massachusetts’ COVID-19 Care Standards

Pioneer's new study raises concerns about the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s (DPH’s) Crises Standards of Care (CSC) issued earlier this month, which bear the earmarks of a state bureaucratic effort and should be rethought under a process that includes a thorough vetting by Massachusetts citizens.

Pioneer Institute Launches Its New Policy Podcast, “HubWonk”

Pioneer Institute is pleased to announce the launch today of a new, weekly podcast called “HubWonk,” covering timely topics, with insights and in-depth interviews on the issues that affect our quality of life, ability to prosper, and liberties. 

Will the COVID-19-related economic recession cause a spike in crime?

/
Intuitively, it makes sense that people replace legitimate business…

New Report Offers Case Study for Transition to Online Learning

Virtual Schooling Pioneer Julie Young provides tips on how states should move forward with the transition to online education during COVID-19.

The Institute for Justice’s Tim Keller on Espinoza v. Montana DOR & ongoing school choice litigation

/
This week on “The Learning Curve,” Cara and Gerard continue coverage of COVID-19’s impact on K-12 education, joined by Tim Keller, Senior Attorney with the Institute for Justice, which is representing the plaintiffs in the high-profile Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court,.

State Ranking: Michigan, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and Nevada have been hardest-hit by COVID-19 jobless claims so far. Massachusetts ranks as 9th hardest-hit.

/
The U.S. Department of Labor reported today that in the week ended April 4, the advance number of seasonally-adjusted initial jobless claims was 6,606,000. This follows 6,867,000 initial claims filed in the week ended March 28 and 3,307,000 in the week ended March 21.