Sources: https://www.c-span.org/video/?470604-1/massachusetts-governor-baker-coronavirus-news-conference (for transcript and video) https://twitter.com/massgovernor/status/1242095740563881985?s=21 (for comments) https://twitter.com/massgovernor/status/1242090118741028865?s=21 (for comments) #shutdownma (for comments)
Hi there, Cosmical here. I just wanted to give an opinion on a subject that has been bothering me ever since this morning when Governor Baker said that he wouldn’t support an order for all Baystaters to stay-at-home.
Massachusetts needs a stay-at-home order, not an advisory. Plain and simple, no icing on the top.
When the lives of myself and people are at risk, I will do the best to avert the danger. When I can do something, I will do it. Will Baker?
Baker said in the press conference I wrote about earlier today that, “I do not believe I can or should order U.S citizens to be confined to their homes for days on end.”
Charlie, you can, you won’t. Why the hell not? People are dying to a novel virus, and we’re just going to release an advisory? We shouldn’t be taking risks here, lives aren’t a joke.
You continue, saying, “It doesn’t make sense from a public health point of view, and it’s not realistic, especially, if people need to get to work and essential businesses or go to places like grocery stores, pharmacies, or hospitals, or healthcare providers.”
Charlie, Charlie! Containment and quarantine is the best repellant of viruses and diseases. An advisory doesn’t legally need to be conformed to, and I know damn well people aren’t going to conform to it and are going to play off and underestimate the situation.
Furthermore, your advisory is odd and confusing. For example, mentioned on Twitter by one user, “Is this a suggestion or order?” What’s the point of advising something if you’re not going to enforce it?
Everyone who was already staying at home is going to abide by this! It changes nothing. If you want to defeat this virus, you must act swiftly and strongly.
If you want this virus to be ended swiftly and life to return back to normal, you must order all Baystaters to stay-at-home.
You say that this order will prevent people from going places, like hospitals, but many states aren’t even enforcing their order with police, like Delaware.
Furthermore, in a stay-at-home order, you can go to essential places, like you listed. It’s what we have now, your guidelines, but with actual enforcement.
Ironic, however, that you said earlier in the conference that, “Acting now to prevent more person to person interaction and spreading the virus will buy us more time so our health-care system can better prepare for a challenge.”
You’re right. We need to act now. A wimpy, confusing advisory won’t do anything. We must act NOW to stop spreading this virus and buy more time.
Baystaters agree with me. Hell, according to one guy, #shutdownma was trending! I’ll just let this one tweet speak for me. “Thanks, but it’s not enough. An advisory is not an order and people will continue to ignore it! #shutdownma PLEASE!”
Or perhaps another one, “This needs to be mandatory, not a guideline.” Like I said, this simply won’t be followed.
Baker, clear up this mess, confusion, and controversy by ordering a shutdown. Not only does it sound serious, but it’s effective.
People will take this coronavirus seriously and the crisis will be averted. Action must be taken, not silly guidelines that no one’s going to read. Yada, yada, yada, 6 feet distance. You weren’t even standing 6 feet away from the audience in your press conference.
I will say, in your defense, however, that it isn’t fair that people are saying that you haven’t done enough with essential services. Some people can’t cook! Restaurant take-out needs to be open, just be safe, oh, and uh, follow the GUIDELINES.
Seriously, however, you need to take action to enforce your guidelines. They have less effect than a resolution in the General Court. A stay-at-home order would alleviate the spread and show that this situation is serious!
If things get more serious, Boston could be like New York City. Do you want that?
Baker, close down Massachusetts. To defend the state from the coronavirus, ensure that its spread will be minimized and lives saved, please, order all Baystaters to stay-at-home.
In conclusion, I agree with #shutdownma. It’s crazy that Baker won’t shutdown the state and instead implement guidelines practically no one abides by (like himself) nor have read, and in the end, it sacrifices lives. A stay-at-home order would put these guidelines into effect with real enforcement, and Baystaters would know that this is the real deal, a real threat. One to be taken seriously.
We must shutdown Massachusetts!
Cosmical Politics 