Why Aren't COVID-19 Deaths Falling?

Scott Gottlieb

"COVID-19 deaths" in the U.S. have plateaued but are not falling as has been the experience in other countries after peak infections.

One of the behind-the-scenes medical power freaks advising the Trump administration, Scott Gottlieb, seems baffled.

In an op-ed that appears in today's Wall Street Journal, he writes:

[E[veryone thought we’d be in a better place after weeks of sheltering in place and bringing the economy to a near standstill. Mitigation hasn’t failed; social distancing and other measures have slowed the spread. But the halt hasn’t brought the number of new cases and deaths down as much as expected or stopped the epidemic from expanding.

Does this guy think at all beyond how he can get another check from some corner of the pharmaceutical industry?

The entire idea behind the idiotic "flatten the curve" program was to spread the infections out over time. That is what is occurring and he is baffled. As far as the persistent high-levels of death, if many hospitals, as opposed to patients, are on ventilators because "elective" medical procedures have been postponed, why wouldn't hospitals continue to count every stiff body a COVID-19 death since they will get more money for such a determination and it is encouraged by the Center for Disease Control?

This guy doesn't understand the basic fact that if you incentivize certain actions you are going to get more of them.

 -RW