The New England Council just completed a Zoom conversation with Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker. The discussion naturally focused on COVID-19 and the economy. Baker is one of 10-15 governors nationwide performing fairly well in leading their states through this crisis.
Baker said that the vast contagiousness and sheer speed of the COVID-19 disease are among its most complex and daunting features. He spoke to obvious causal factors of spread such as population density, but raised an interesting point about architecture. Older cities are vastly more vulnerable to these types of pandemics because of what he called "old architecture." It may be "charming," but it's "cramped," porous and not well ventilated. This is all part of much larger conversations we need to be having about the future of cities and city life.
He reiterated that Massachusetts' phased reopening plans will continue to be guided by science, metrics, logic and common sense, in an attempt to avoid multiple COVID-19 waves and keep the economy open and sustainable in the long run. He said that the disease "is going to operate on its own terms," suggesting that any well-run government's best bet is to be methodical, analytical, disciplined and proactive.
In that spirit, just in case multiple waves strike, he said the Commonwealth is adding broadly and deeply to its virus-fighting and protection inventories such as with PPE. He seems to have learned that buying locally and not from the Far East to save a few pennies per unit is the right thing to do. It protects Massachusetts' jobs and, in Baker's words, he and others have learned that the vaunted "global supply chains are terrific until they're not." He said he was asked how much of these supplies is enough. He responded, "I have no idea. I'm just going to keep buying it" to protect health-care workers, patients and employees in every type of organization statewide. That's what leaders do. They hope for the best, but the plan tangibly and credibly for the worst.
Baker said that the vast contagiousness and sheer speed of the COVID-19 disease are among its most complex and daunting features. He spoke to obvious causal factors of spread such as population density, but raised an interesting point about architecture. Older cities are vastly more vulnerable to these types of pandemics because of what he called "old architecture." It may be "charming," but it's "cramped," porous and not well ventilated. This is all part of much larger conversations we need to be having about the future of cities and city life.
He reiterated that Massachusetts' phased reopening plans will continue to be guided by science, metrics, logic and common sense, in an attempt to avoid multiple COVID-19 waves and keep the economy open and sustainable in the long run. He said that the disease "is going to operate on its own terms," suggesting that any well-run government's best bet is to be methodical, analytical, disciplined and proactive.
In that spirit, just in case multiple waves strike, he said the Commonwealth is adding broadly and deeply to its virus-fighting and protection inventories such as with PPE. He seems to have learned that buying locally and not from the Far East to save a few pennies per unit is the right thing to do. It protects Massachusetts' jobs and, in Baker's words, he and others have learned that the vaunted "global supply chains are terrific until they're not." He said he was asked how much of these supplies is enough. He responded, "I have no idea. I'm just going to keep buying it" to protect health-care workers, patients and employees in every type of organization statewide. That's what leaders do. They hope for the best, but the plan tangibly and credibly for the worst.
May 26, 2020 screen shot.