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Pandemic primaries: A public health disaster
We won’t realize the human and political cost until it’s too late
It’s Tuesday. We’re in the middle of the worst public health crisis America has seen in a century. The bars and restaurants are closed. The polls are open.
For weeks now, experts have said that the key to managing the outbreak and preventing a death toll in the hundreds of thousands is “social distancing.” We’ve been warned to avoid public places and mass transit. The public has been advised to stay indoors as much as possible and work from home if they can.
Liberals have, for the most part, been adamant about adhering to these strictures, which makes it all the more baffling—and hypocritical—that so many have insisted on going ahead with today’s Democratic primary.
Thus far, five states have postponed their primaries due to the coronavirus outbreak, including Ohio, which was supposed to vote today, but the Governor defied a judge’s ruling and ordered polls to stay shuttered.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has warned against gatherings of 50 or more, and in the chaos of the pandemic, it’s impossible to follow these guidelines during the election. For example, long lines at many polling places make it impractical to maintain the recommended distance of…
