Billionaire Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates believes that the only way to combat the spread of the coronavirus is to have a nationwide shutdown, which he expanded on in a Washington Post op-ed.
Gates wrote, "Despite urging from public health experts, some states and counties haven’t shut down completely. In some states, beaches are still open; in others, restaurants still serve sit-down meals. This is a recipe for disaster. Because people can travel freely across state lines, so can the virus. The country’s leaders need to be clear: Shutdown anywhere means shutdown everywhere. Until the case numbers start to go down across America — which could take 10 weeks or more — no one can continue business as usual or relax the shutdown."
Gates also commented on a potential vaccine for the virus, which could come within the next 18 months and the difficulty of meeting the demand around the world.
He explained, "We can start now by building the facilities where these vaccines will be mad. Because many of the top candidates are made using unique equipment, we’ll have to build facilities for each of them, knowing that some won’t get used.
"Private companies can’t take that kind of risk, but the federal government can. It’s a great sign that the administration made deals this week with at least two companies to prepare for vaccine manufacturing. I hope more deals will follow."
Source: Washington Post
