I hope it doesn't get here. But if enough Americans die, the federal response may be put under DoD control. The military has biodefense preparedness plans, can manage quarantines, has continuity-of-leadership plans, and may be the most broadly respected institution in America.
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To elaborate on each of these points: 1. DoD biodefense is for natural threats as well. It doesn’t need to be a “bioweapon” — much of the biodefense preparedness would be applicable in either situation. https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/1637439/new-biodefense-strategy-combats-man-made-natural-threats/ …pic.twitter.com/gPMvwtAM4r
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2. Quarantines in the US are already being managed by the US military. Whether they are being managed well is a separate question (the Solano case *may* have leaked from Travis Air Force Base), but quarantine at scale is military. https://apnews.com/8296fc5a288587fe08a70fb72d4c433c …pic.twitter.com/8AVIwsHY9G
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3. Iran is already seeing senior government officials die from the virus. US civilian leadership does have some continuity-of-government provisions, but it's not really set up for senior people randomly dying. The military, however, is. https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/11/when-leaders-die-in-battle-what-it-means-for-the-soldiers-who-live-on/265080/ …pic.twitter.com/IPb2tF52EH
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4. Finally, the military is by some measures the most broadly respected national institution in America. https://www.pewresearch.org/ft_19-03-21_scienceconfidence_americans-trust-in-military/ …pic.twitter.com/I2Aih0eCiM
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Three months ago I'd think the idea of US troops enforcing quarantines in a pandemic was out of a sci-fi movie, a scene from Contagion. But WSJ reports the Italian military is on standby to do exactly that. http://archive.is/T42UH#selection-2415.31-2415.93 …pic.twitter.com/0TwpS1d4iI
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In summary, if enough US deaths occur, the public mood may shift to the military as the only entity capable of carrying out the "centralized response". I hope it doesn't get there. Hope this peters out somehow on its own. But given where Italy is now, it's possible.
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Given the total ineptness of the civilian administration (SF is planning to use 30 RVs to deal with the epidemic among the homeless) and inelasticity of the medical system, I think that it's inevitable that the military will step in.
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