Is pandemic planning an exception to the generally smart rule against centralization?

A socialist friend asked how I rank the U.S. and Trump for our response to coronavirus. I gave the country a B for response, but a D for planning.

Vlad want on to ask what I thought specifically of Trump. Here’s my reply.

I’m not sure enough of the timeline to give an honest assessment. Early on, the WHO was assuring everyone there was no risk of human to human transmission, and they criticized Trump for stopping flights from China.

I know Trump started off very dismissive of the virus and then changed his mind, but it’s hard to say what he should have known when.

Same for others. Pelosi was telling people to come out for various events, New Orleans still had Mardi Gras, and New York may have been a little slow to close. But a lot of that is 20-20 hindsight. It’s very hard for us to say now what they should have known or done back then.

To me, the bigger issue is how unprepared we are. We should have stockpiles of protective gear, sanitizers, hospital beds, ventilators, etc.

In Maryland, they’ve been trying to close hospitals for years — to move care into smaller facilities. Now they’re crying because they don’t have enough hospital space.

I’m generally opposed to centralization, but this is one area where some central planning is necessary.