The Role of Science During Pandemic

[KenH]

“Why have some Asian nations performed so well relative to the United States in containing the coronavirus without nearly the devastating economic fallout? Terence Kealey argues that it comes down to prevailing attitudes about the role of science.”

The Role of Science During Pandemic

 

[Gold Dragon]

“Why have some Asian nations performed so well relative to the United States in containing the coronavirus without nearly the devastating economic fallout? Terence Kealey argues that it comes down to prevailing attitudes about the role of science.”

The Role of Science During Pandemic

A very interesting podcast that I am surprised you posted as it is quite critical of the US response and the Trump administration in terms of the dismantling of the pandemic response team and bungled CDC test debacle.

But a lot of interesting points in a relatively short podcast with a lot of useful historical references.

- East Asia’s success from rapid early testing and good relationship as well as separation of roles between private scientific industry and public sector regulation and governance. Masks only minor impact.

- problems in the west from over reliance of public funding for basic research as a historical consequence of the Space Race with Russia

- when that mantra was challenged, scientists moved to private sector which lead directly to Palo Alto and Silicon Valley.


I think one easy point that the speaker did not mention was the effect of SARS which affected East Asia more than any other region and left a lasting cultural impact that made it very easy to implement social measures to control spread.

 

[KenH]

A very interesting podcast that I am surprised you posted as it is quite critical of the US response and the Trump administration in terms of the dismantling of the pandemic response team and bungled CDC test debacle.

I have never been a Trump supporter and never will be. I am not a Biden supporter, either. I am a member of the Libertarian Party and expect the first Libertarian Party member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Justin Amash, to be the party’s presidential nominee. If the Lord grants me length of life to participate in this year’s general election, then Justin Amash will receive my vote.

 

[JonC]

I think one easy point that the speaker did not mention was the effect of SARS which affected East Asia more than any other region and left a lasting cultural impact that made it very easy to implement social measures to control spread.

This is an important oversight.

We also have the issue of politics. Often the U. S. citizens are merely pawns in political struggles in our nation. The virus hit at a time when a quick positive outcome would have probably solidified a GOP victory in our upcoming election. I do not believe the outcome of the pandemic was known but I have no doubt politics were involved early on (on both sides) - not only in terms of economic issues but also health issues.

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

“Why have some Asian nations performed so well relative to the United States in containing the coronavirus without nearly the devastating economic fallout? Terence Kealey argues that it comes down to prevailing attitudes about the role of science.”

The Role of Science During Pandemic

They completely sidestepped the question of why the West, including the US, did not take advantage of the immediate testing and implementation so successful in South Korea that would have, by their own admission, far outstripped anything an international government entity such as a Security Council taskforce could have accomplished.

Superiority of private enterprise over government funding is their main premise in explaining the reason for success in the Asian countries. The question remains why the CDC did not immediately implement this important development instead of taking the "not invented here" approach, then doubling down on their incompetence with failure and delay.

 

[KenH]

The question remains why the CDC did not immediately implement this important development

The CDC is a government-funded entity. Government, especially on a federal level, is quite inefficient.

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

The CDC is a government-funded entity. Government, especially on a federal level, is quite inefficient.

This was not a matter of efficiency but of efficacy. It amounts to at least criminal negligence, but may as well have been intentional sabotage, and with all of the politicization going on, may very well have been just that.