States Don't Need New Lockdowns to Cut Covid Spread
It’s a matter of steering people toward safer behavior.
Governors should wear masks, too.
Photographer: Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesWhether you call it a second wave or, more accurately, the easily foreseeable continuation of a pandemic, Covid-19 is still spreading unchecked in several American states. Florida, Arizona, Texas and other states are reporting record numbers of new cases. And many are neglecting to take steps that could prevent outbreaks from expanding into possibly unmanageable surges in Covid-19 cases and deaths.
State leaders understandably resist the notion of issuing new stay-at-home orders, which would be painful, unpopular and at this point difficult to enforce. Lockdowns averted millions of potential cases in the spring, and they may still be required if case growth gets out of hand. But blunt quarantine isn’t the only way to check Covid-19. Over the past several months, scientists worldwide have come to better understand how infections occur and what specific measures can most effectively prevent them. States can and should pay attention to what the experts have learned and use it to steer public behavior toward safety.