On April 29, local time, npr interview program Fresh Air connected Donald G. Mcneil, a science reporter for The New York Times. In the interview, McNeil said that compared with China, the U.S. quarantine measures are like a "giant garden party."
McNeil also stressed that he disagreed with calling China's anti-epidemic measures "cruel", on the contrary, China "may have saved the lives of 10 million Chinese citizens." ”
"Compared with China, the U.S. home measure is a 'giant garden party,'" the reporter said.
Host Dave Davies said at the beginning of the interview that millions of people are anxious about the quarantine measures of the new crown virus, and several U.S. governors have ignored the advice of public health experts to relax the control of their states, and then try to push forward the economic recovery plan. Asked by the moderator how the U.S. epidemic prevention measures are doing compared to other countries, McNeil replied:
"Compared to China, our epidemic prevention measures are like a giant garden party – even compared to Italy – and are even becoming looser and visible to the naked eye. When I walk out of the house— which is not allowed in Italy, but I occasionally go to Central Park [New York City], I can see that there are now more than 20 people gathered in the empty square three weeks ago, and there are three times as many vehicles on the road as before. Moreover, these are not all people who have to work during the epidemic, many are just people who ignore the closure measures. I've heard that people are still quietly hosting garden parties and barbecue parties, going out to date people they meet online, and playing with their children. Unfortunately, that's why the country is adding nearly 30,000 new infections every day. ”
"China didn't return to work until the number of new infections was zero every day," he said. This is the state in which the epidemic is completely under control. You know where the viruses are and where new infections are occurring. For a new case, say 100 cases per day, you can do virus tracking. But if you add 30,000 new cases a day, assuming that each person is in contact with an average of 45 people, the number of people to be traced every day is more than 1.3 million. So, we're far from the peak of the pandemic. ”
McNeil said that even a relatively strict stay-at-home order is only the first step in defeating the epidemic: "A recent Harvard study shows that the united States should now undergo 5-10 million tests a day to know exactly where the virus has arrived and where the number of confirmed cases is increasing. So far, the total number of tests we have accumulated is only 5 million. ”
McNeil pointed out that China has set an example of how to stop the rapid spread of the epidemic by tracking the trajectory of the virus, widespread testing and strict quarantine measures. McNeill confessed: "We are not willing to follow China... But they did. ”
McNeil also specifically mentioned china's Fang Cabin Hospital's focus on treating mildly ill patients, as well as Fang Cabin's "dance classes," saying that dancing can help patients "clean their lungs" and identify people who are seriously ill and need special care. "That's exactly what we need to do. We shouldn't let patients go home and infect their grandmothers. ”
When the moderator said, "It seems that China is much tougher than the measures taken by our country" and intended to continue to ask questions, McNeil interrupted him and expressed his opinion: "I don't think the measures they have taken are so-called 'tough', and I have my own opinion on the statement that China's measures are 'cruel'." Chinese, like Americans, love their families. At first there will be people who will be reluctant, but they understand that it is saving the lives of their families. ”
"Usually, patients are told: 'Please go to the shelter with us, we'll provide you with food and medical care and will take care of you.'" After 3 weeks, if you are okay after the test, you can go home. 'The whole process is portrayed as cruel... In this case, it (the Chinese government) did not 'cruel' its people, and it may have saved the lives of Chinese 10 million people. If the virus had not been detected and controlled, my estimate is that so many people could have died in China. ”
Speaking about what would happen when the U.S. "got back to work too fast," McNeil said, "If we pour into baseball stadiums and churches, get together at grocery stores, and rush to the subway, we probably won't see anything for two weeks. You see a spike in temperatures on the kinsa app, followed by a spike in the number of confirmed cases, hospitalizations, people being transported to the emergency room — and then there's a start to see deaths. ”
McNeil warned: "We will be back on the road to the 1.6 million-2.2 million deaths. ”
McNeil c-span screenshot
It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time mcNeil has publicly expressed his agreement with China's anti-epidemic measures. On March 13, when asked by an NBC host about "China's fight against the epidemic seems to lack Western-style freedom," he replied without hesitation that if there is no life, there is no freedom and happiness. On March 30, McNeill was interviewed by MSNBC television in the United States, and even suggested that Trump hire Chinese doctors to go to the United States to help fight the epidemic, because Chinese doctors have rich experience.
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