San Mateo County Health Officer Statement on Bay Area Stay-at-Home Orders
Reading this I was expecting the same knee-jerk, panic response that has become the "acceptable" public health response to the problem the pandemic places before us.<p>While I detect a hint of futility in this statement, I am nonetheless deeply heartened to know some public health officials are themselves questioning some of the simplistic premises that have been driving policy to this point at all levels of government.  Really there at least three attributes that I see in this statement that I don't typically see in utterings of our bureaucrats:<p>1) I actually get the sense of outright honesty from this statement.  Not some overly messsaged, PR driven/reviewed statement by some spokes-hole.  I actually think this statement is really what this guy believes... a public statement that even expresses some vulnerability.  Despite the subject, very refreshing and I'd be more likely to listen seriously to what he has to say in future.<p>2) Struggling with right and good uses of power and seeing not using one's power as itself a public good.  Good heavens... this guy should run for President!  I expect I'd disagree with much of his politics, but I'd vote for him just for having such thoughts and expect the nation would be better off no matter his other leanings.<p>3) Questioning the mandates, their effectiveness, and whether they might be causing more harm than good.  And not doing so from some artificial posturing to show "the right politics", but honest, genuine questioning.<p>Whether you agree or not... I wish more of our public officials were this thoughtful on critical issues such as face us in this pandemic.