Editorial Staff

Time to follow the science, not fear

/in , , , , , /by Editorial Staff
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on
LinkedIn
+

With Governor Baker set to announce the details of his phase one re-opening plan, Pioneer Institute shares the following principles to frame state action on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Background

On March 15th, Governor Baker announced the closure of Massachusetts’ public schools. On March 23rd, he issued an advisory order for residents, and an emergency order to close nonessential businesses. At the time, our state and country faced unprecedented uncertainty. Many government actions were based less on science and more on reasonable and prudent defensive postures given the dearth of information about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Without reliable data on fatality and contagion rates, and long-term impact, we could not set parameters around risks. Absent such information, erring on the side of caution was justified. Given the rapid emergence of the virus, we understand that the initial phase of responses was necessarily messy.

Since then, state and local governments, business owners and employees, and the general public have behaved admirably. While there have been mistakes and missed opportunities, Massachusetts’ response has exhibited discipline and care for others, putting public safety above all. In 1798, John Adams noted in an address to the Massachusetts Militiamen that “our constitution was made only for a moral” people. On that score we have lived up to our founders’ hopes.

Over the past two months, we have all learned a great deal about COVID-19 and the efficacy of – and the new challenges created by – our policy responses. We have learned from the countries and states that were hit earliest.  We read obsessively about potential new cures, the relevance of masks and heightened hygienic practices, and related physical and mental health and economic impacts.

Because of the discipline of our people and increased knowledge, we understand the risks and opportunities ahead. As a result, Pioneer Institute believes it is time to move to a more thoughtful, science-based footing.

Principles for re-opening
The following are principles for state and local public policymakers to guide future state action on COVID-19:

1.     At a time of pandemic, reasonable accommodations to protect the public can be justifiable and do not necessarily contradict commitment to respect individual liberty.

2.     State governments are empowered to protect residents’ health and safety. Those powers, whenever possible, are meant to be applied on the basis of science and historical experience, not through the exercise of arbitrary power.

3.     Policymakers must clearly articulate science-based recommendations for personal covering, hygiene, social distancing, and actions needed to protect individuals with higher risk profiles but they must refrain from arbitrarily and subjectively defining what is and isn’t “essential.”

4.     Policymakers should provide guidance and educate residents but refrain from giving unwarranted or arbitrary orders. A more productive and effective approach is to leverage social norms and pressure to promote science-based, counter-pandemic behaviors.

5.     When governments get into the business of controlling aspects of residents’ lives, they lose focus on aspects of the fight against the pandemic that need most attention, like the state’s uneven efforts to protect the high-risk elderly population in long-term care facilities.

The following are principles related to private and public institutions that serve the public:

6.     Private institutions engaging in retail and direct service of customers have the right and moral duty to protect their employees and customers, and therefore must be able to deny service to individuals who do not practice social distancing and other pandemic health measures.

7.     Public institutions that accommodate customers in close quarters — e.g., the MBTA, swimming pools, beaches and parks, etc. —must have the power to require customers to adopt protective measures. That said, agencies managing public services and spaces must default to staying open for the mental health and well-being of residents.

The following are principles related to education:

8.     K-12 education is an essential service and a constitutionally protected right. Closing schools without a clear set of plans and actions to ensure the continuation of learning in our public schools violates students’ constitutional rights.

About Pioneer

Mission
Pioneer Institute develops and communicates dynamic ideas that advance prosperity and a vibrant civic life in Massachusetts and beyond.

Vision
Success for Pioneer is when the citizens of our state and nation prosper and our society thrives because we enjoy world-class options in education, healthcare, transportation and economic opportunity, and when our government is limited, accountable and transparent.

Values
Pioneer believes that America is at its best when our citizenry is well-educated, committed to liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise, and both willing and able to test their beliefs based on facts and the free exchange of ideas.

Get Our COVID-19 News, Tips & Resources!

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

Related Posts

Monarchs of the Sea – American Boats, Ships, & their Captains – 40 Resources for High School Students

In Pioneer’s ongoing series of blogs on curricular resources for parents, families, and teachers during COVID-19, this one focuses on: Celebrating American Boats, Ships, & their Captains.

Alzheimer Breakthrough Disillusionment: Confusion on FDA’s Approval of Expensive and Possibly Ineffective Drug

Hubwonk host Joe Selvaggi talks with precision medicine expert Hannah Mamuszka and Pioneer Institute's Bill Smith about the promises and pitfalls of the newly approved Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm, and the challenges presented when new, expensive drugs of dubious benefit are introduced to the nation’s formulary.

Umesh Bhuju Seeks a Fair Deal for Immigrants, Farmers & the Environment

This week on JobMakers, Host Denzil Mohammed talks with Umesh Bhuju, owner of Zumi’s Espresso in Ipswich, Massachusetts, about how a business model based on selling nothing but fair-trade products can thrive in a world driven by profit. He describes his early experiences in his homeland of Nepal, where he witnessed child labor, and how that has shaped his pursuit of the American dream.

New York Times Best Seller Paul Reid on Winston Churchill, WWII, & the Cold War

This week on “The Learning Curve," Cara and guest co-host Kerry McDonald talk with Paul Reid, co-author, with William Manchester, of the New York Times best-selling biography of Winston Churchill, The Last Lion: Defender of the Realm, 1940-1965. Reid shares how he was enlisted to complete William Manchester’s biographical trilogy on the greatest political figure of the 20th century, which became a best-seller.

Comparing Covid-19 Vaccination and New Infection Rates in Suffolk County: Is Vaccination Working?

0 Comments
/
Massachusetts ranks fourth nationally for the highest percent…

The People’s House The U.S. House Representatives – 40 Resources for High School Students

American schoolchildren need to know more about the basic civics and history of our key democratic institutions. To remedy this, we’re offering a variety of resources to help parents, teachers, and high schoolers:

Dr. Babak Movassaghi on Winning in Football & Healthcare Innovation

0 Comments
/
This week on JobMakers, Host Denzil Mohammed talks with Dr. Babak Movassaghi, founder of InfiniteMD (acquired last summer by ConsumerMedical), which connects patients with top U.S. medical professionals through second-opinion video consultations, guiding patients to better care. When the world shut down due to COVID-19, Dr. Movassaghi's company was already prepared to serve patients via telehealth. In this episode, they discuss his fascinating pivot from physics and professional football in Germany, to healthcare and innovation here in the U.S., an extension of his ability to navigate multiple identities as an Iranian-German living the American Dream.

COVID-19 and Unemployment Rates in the Cape and Islands 

0 Comments
/
  The COVID-19 pandemic has had a large impact on unemployment…

Nina Rees on the 30th Anniversary of Charter Public Schools in America

This week on “The Learning Curve," Gerard and Cara celebrate the 30th anniversary of charter schools with Nina Rees, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

This Is No Time for a Tax Increase

This is no time to threaten Massachusetts’ prospects for an immediate economic recovery and the long-term competitiveness of the Commonwealth’s businesses. As Massachusetts lawmakers prepare to vote on whether to send a proposed constitutional amendment that would impose a 4 percent surtax on residents who earn $1 million or more in a year to the statewide ballot in 2022, Pioneer Institute urges them to recognize that tax policy sizably impacts business and job location decisions and that jobs are more mobile than ever.

The Spirit Enlightened Celebrating Classical Music – 50 Resources for High School Students

In Pioneer’s ongoing series of blogs on curricular resources for parents, families, and teachers during COVID-19, this one focuses on: Celebrating Classical Music.

Putting in the Extra Hours: The Spike in Mass. Department of Public Health Overtime Pay during COVID-19

During the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic, Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) payroll data presented a 29.09% increase in the average employee’s overtime pay from the previous year. Pioneer wanted to dig deeper into the Department’s compensation trends to put the $5M bump in 2020 DPH overtime pay into perspective.