Reopening as Covid-19 Fades Is Not a Science

The accelerating reopening of businesses in the U.S. doesn’t violate “the science” of Covid-19. Some individual scientists are warning of increased virus deaths associated with these choices, but there’s no science that can tell us precisely how to balance public health with other human needs. Some people want to minimize Covid-19 cases at all costs — but that’s a moral stance. It’s not “the science.”

Yet as tension grows over governors’ decisions to reopen restaurants, gyms and other venues, CDC director Rochelle Walensky not only warned that the U.S. could see a surge in new cases, but pleaded with Americans to continue with public health measures like masks, solitude and avoiding travel. This sort of public health advice conflates science, morality, values and partisan politics. We’ve seen too much of it in the past 12 months.