Time to End the Sisolak Shutdown. Here’s Why…

(Annie Black) – Once you count in suddenly unemployed entrepreneurs, small business owners and independent contractors, the number of Nevadans who have been put out of work by Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak’s schizophrenic corona-scare shutdown order is over 100,000.

The overall financial devastation is incalculable at this point, and it’s gonna take Nevada even longer to recover than it did after the Great Recession a dozen years ago.

This all stands in stark contrast to what our governor told us in a February 28 press conference…

“I understand that Nevadans have concerns, and even fears, about the coronavirus.  But as UMC stated just the other day, the anecdote to fear is knowledge and preparedness.  So that’s what we’re gonna do.  We’re going to prepare, not panic.  We’re gonna choose collaboration over chaos.”

Two short weeks later…fear, panic and chaos!

Guess the governor wasn’t as prepared as he led us to believe.  And here’s something else interesting…

At the beginning of his March 17 press conference, when he ordered the Sisolak Shutdown, the governor referred to virus predictions by “the Imperial College in the United Kingdom” – which we now learn were off by a country mile.

From yesterday’s Wall Street Journal…

“Nearly two weeks ago (Neil) Ferguson, an epidemiologist with Imperial College London, issued a report on Covid-19. Much of the public attention focused on his worst-case projection that there might be as many as 2.2 million American and 510,000 British deaths. Fewer paid attention to the caveat that this was ‘unlikely,’ and based on the assumption that nothing was done to control it.”

“Now Mr. Ferguson has clarified his estimates. He told Parliament this week that he now reckons the number of deaths in the U.K. ‘would be unlikely to exceed 20,000’ – and that many would be older people who would have died from other maladies this year. With the measures now in place, he believes Britain’s health service won’t be overwhelmed.”

To be fair, as the WSJ noted, Mr. Ferguson DID say his worst-case scenario was “unlikely.”  But an irresponsible media latched onto the Armageddon possibilities like a dog on a bone…and still hasn’t let go.

“There’s a warning here about science and journalism,” the Wall Street Journal editorialized.  “It’s no secret that the press’s reputation has taken a credibility hit in this crisis. Nor is it any secret why: Instead of a presentation of what we know and don’t, too often the focus has been political scapegoating or sensationalizing.”

In light of the above, all Nevadans should be concerned that the governor suggested yesterday that he might extend the Sisolak Shutdown BEYOND 30 days – which was already twice as long as the White House’s recommended “15 Days to Slow the Spread.”

We need to reopen Nevada.  Sooner rather than later.

Maintain social distancing.  Wash your hands.  Sanitize your work space.  Isolate the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.  Quarantine hot spots.  Limit out-of-town and out-of-state travel.

Maybe start building a border wall with California.

OK, just kidding (sort of).

But it’s time to stop the fear and panic.  It’s time to let Nevadans go back to work with precautions.  It’s time to start rebuilding.

And a closing thought from one of my AnnieGram readers…

“My mother always told me I wouldn’t accomplish anything laying in bed all day.  But look at me now.  I’m saving the world!”

Annie Black is a Mesquite City Councilwoman and Republican candidate for Nevada State Assembly District 19.  You can get more information by visiting www.electannieblack.com