With coronavirus cases rising across the country and some states closing up again, it’s worth asking: Have government officials learned the lessons from the first spike in cases earlier this year? In this episode of New Ideal Live, Elan Journo talks with Amesh Adalja, expert on pandemic preparedness and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, to discuss this question and the latest developments in the Covid-19 pandemic.

Among other topics, they cover:

* Is it safe for schools reopen in the fall, or should they remain closed and provide online classes?* Can the current testing strategy effectively combat the spread of the virus?* What is the state of contact tracing, and how effectively can we contact-trace in places with a high number of infections?* What is the nature of the conflict between the CDC and the White House?* What scientific developments can we look forward to in connection to combating the virus?

Mentioned towards the end of this episode is Elan Journo and Onkar Ghate’s recently published op-ed on the issue of testing strategy, and Onkar Ghate’s paper on a pro-freedom approach to pandemics. https://newideal.aynrand.org/pandemic-response/

This podcast was recorded on July 15, 2020. Watch or listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived web episodes here. https://newideal.aynrand.org/podcasts/

Podcast audio: