Biden COVID advisor, UMN prof calls for 4 to 6 week lockdown
A Biden COVID advisor and University of Minnesota infectious disease professor told Yahoo! Finance that he would support a four to six week lockdown.
In August, Biden stated that he would “listen to the scientists” and support lockdowns if his advisors told him to do so.
Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota Center of Infectious Disease Research and Policy and a COVID-19 advisor to former Vice President Joe Biden, says he would support a four to six-week lockdown in an attempt to control the virus.
In a conversation with Yahoo! Finance, Osterholm explained that “we could pay for a package right now to cover all of the lost wages for individual workers... if we did that, then we could lockdown for four to six weeks.”
One of Biden’s new coronavirus task force doctors floating the idea of a 4-6 week lockdown:
“We could pay for a package right now to cover all of the lost wages for individual workers ... if we did that, then we could lockdown for 4 to 6 weeks.”pic.twitter.com/zNmuQvPpIJ— Zack Guzman (@zGuz) November 11, 2020
Osterholm recently warned CNBC that America is “about to enter COVID hell” due to a rising number of infections. During the presidential campaign, Biden stated that he would shut down the nation if his appointed scientists recommended such an approach.
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“I would shut it down; I would listen to the scientists,” Biden told ABC’s David Muir during an interview in late August. ““I will be prepared to do whatever it takes to save lives because we cannot get the country moving, until we control the virus.”
Biden explained that the “fundamental flaw” of the Trump administration’s thinking is that it has failed to control the virus. Biden said that “in order to keep the country running and moving and the economy growing, and people employed, you have to fix the virus, you have to deal with the virus.”
As COVID-19 cases rise across the United States, local and state officials are enforcing travel restrictions, including holiday plans with family.
Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot issued a stay-at-home advisory, effective November 16. She also advised residents to “cancel traditional Thanksgiving celebrations.”
EFFECTIVE MONDAY: I’m issuing a Stay-at-Home Advisory asking all Chicagoans to only leave their homes for essential needs, including work and school. More info ➡️ https://t.co/zDpEmEUk6c. #ProtectChicago pic.twitter.com/DAjuqfuRPP
— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) November 12, 2020
On November 11, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the state would limit indoor gatherings in private residences to ten individuals.
New York follows the science.
We know indoor gatherings and parties are a major source of COVID spread.
To slow the spread, NYS will limit indoor gatherings at private residences to 10 people.
This limit takes effect Friday at 10pm.— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) November 11, 2020
[RELATED: Cuomo spars with NY universities, blames them for COVID spikes]
Campus Reform reached out to Osterholm and the Biden campaign; this article will be updated accordingly.
Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @BenZeisloft
