Where are all of the adults?

Searching for common sense in a time of COVID-19

We truly are living through extraordinary times. However, they are by no means unprecedented. Humanity has faced outbreaks of disease throughout recorded history, many of which were more deadly than this current crisis. We’ve been here before and know how this works. This is why watching some of the media and press conference coverage is shocking. There are arguments over the name of the virus, arguments over who said what and when, name-calling, and finger-pointing. The scenes are closer to that of 6-year-olds avoiding the who ate the last cookie question rather than heads of government informing and instructing a fearful public. It doesn’t look like those in charge want to be the adults in the room and the adults in the room aren’t those in charge.

I want to start by saying immediately this isn’t a piece about anything remotely scientific regarding COVID-19. I’m not a doctor or healthcare professional so I won’t make any health claims about the coronavirus. No, this piece is more of a reflection on the leadership, or lack thereof, we the public have received.

Watching the response of the West’s liberal democracies to the outbreak of the coronavirus was surreal. Supposed leaders of these democracies on both sides of the political divide tried to downplay the outbreak or the measures that some were calling for early on. They went in front of cameras and tried to spin the messaging however they could.

That isn’t how democracies work.

Regardless of how China responded (that’s a whole article unto itself), we should’ve done better. Democracies only function when there is an engaged and educated electorate. As soon as China informed the WHO and they passed the information on to our public health institutions a responsible grown-up government would have informed the public and taken decisive action.

Instead in Canada, there was talk early on of how we wouldn’t close our borders because “that’s not who we are”. Only after it was clear that the outbreak was gaining a foothold did the government act.

In the United States, some called what is now a pandemic an overblown leftist media hoax. Now some of those very people are sitting at home alone, maybe reading this, in self-isolation.

There is one word for the way these leaders acted at the beginning of this and it’s childish. They found it more convenient to say that everything was ok, that we’ll get through this or, worst of all, we’re monitoring the situation.

I understand that there is a fine line between sounding proactive and alarmist. No government wants to unnecessarily frighten the public. However, pretending as though if you don’t say coronavirus it doesn’t exist reminds me of my parent’s kitchen table. I thought that if I didn’t look at my broccoli and ignored it maybe it would disappear. (Spoiler alert: It didn’t)

COVID-19 wasn’t going to just disappear either. It is a virus. It doesn’t have feelings or asks who you voted for before infecting you. It treats us all the same.

So then what was the result of the approach that the Western democracies took?

An unfortunately preventable crisis.

While it’s true that this was going to cause a crisis of some level, that level would be determined by our response. Unfortunately, we haven’t fully risen to the occasion yet.

Due to the decision of some leaders of the liberal democracies, many people underestimated the potential damage this virus could cause. Misinformation was spread in the vacuum created by the lacking response. Uncertainty spread along with it leading to panicked shoppers with carts full of toilet paper. Markets have responded even worse to the uncertainty as they try to grapple with adjusting.

When we are informed of the facts and aware of the possible consequences as adults we can make the best possible decision. However, when our governments rob of that information we are left to draw conclusions from anecdotes and half-truths.

Where could we look then for any facts or leadership as our elected leaders buried their heads in the sand?

Our public health officials are the real adults in the room. They were and are going out every day to brief the public in a clear and matter of fact way. It’s just unfortunate they aren’t in charge. We’ll never know how this could have gone if our leaders listened to our experts and acted accordingly.

Luckily, Western democracies are starting to see sense.

Policies recommended by health authorities are being put in place across the globe. Our leaders appear now to understand the scale of this crisis and are enacting the legislation and policies they should have from the start. I just hope it isn’t too little too late.

It is positive to see governments begin to work hand in hand with their public health authorities. If we listen to the adults in the room and push our government to do the same then we stand a chance at mitigating the worst-case scenarios put forward by public health officials. At the end of the day, it’s up to each and every one of us to do our part.

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