On June 21 I reported on the aggressive virus suppression program in China. See: June Virus Suppression in China .

The low infection rate in China is no accident. It is the result of very aggressive action by the central government to suppress any outbreak, or apparent outbreak, with overwhelming “force”. Note in the above link, there is no discussion of public reaction or demonstrations against overkill or people trying to influence government policy through demonstrations. The government followed up on contact tracing and aggressive testing of people that may have been exposed to the virus.There had been a food delivery based outbreak and an overwhelming food handling contact trace was in progress.

If you notice in the following video, there is aggressive envorcement of wearing of masks on public transportation, and little presence of masks to be worn by the public while engaging in normal life. This conduct is permitted because prior suppression efforts were relatively successful. As a practical matter, the Chinese effort is well coordinated and their response is rule driven, without regard to “public opinion”.  As a result, the general population seems much more free to engage in business and recreation than in the USA. Suppressing the virus shouldn’t be a subject of public debate from State to State, Feds to States, or States to local governments. Public opinion really isn’t qualified to create the plan for fighting this virus effectively. It should be science based response, not political.

One question that hasn’t been asked in Michigan (my home state) or by the Feds, which is political is: Should we let the virus wipe out as many people as nature decides, or should we intervene as a government to wipe out the virus, regardless of the impact on the economy? For lack of a better description, which is better the Swedish model, or the Chinese model, or perhaps the New Zealand, Korean, or Australian models? The US model is State driven and varies from political jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

I don’t recall this kind of a conversation taking place in Michigan by either party.  It should. jsp

On October 23, the government is upping the virus awareness in anticipation of a second wave, but masks aren’t yet required except for public transportation and some stores. Schools have opened, and in Guiyang the virus is believed to be contained.