Who Got the Coronavirus Right?
Lessons From the People Who Were Right About the Latest Global Crisis
Call it what you want, coronavirus, COVID-19, the “China” virus. No matter the name, this viral pandemic represents the biggest global event since 2008. In that great calamity, many modern-day Cassandras made their name by being early to warn us. It got me wondering, who got this crisis right? That is, who called it early and is likely to see their credibility rise after this is all over. I have a few ideas.
Scientists
The unsung heroes of any pandemic are undoubtedly the doctors and scientists who fight to understand the threat. There are many who have warned for years about the kind of global shutdown that we are experiencing. For my money though, the one who has communicated the most clearly before and during this event is Scott Gottlieb.
Gottlieb has been consistent in his warnings, even as others were too sanguine about this pandemic. Here he is on Face the Nation on March 1, warning anyone that would listen about how grave the…
