Tuesday, April 14, 2020 | 2 a.m.
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The April 5 letter “Heeding expert advice is wise” claimed that Gov. Steve Sisolak should rely on medical experts to decide when to lift restrictions on the economy. I disagree with the idea that this is a medical decision. It is a political decision with far-reaching short- and long-term effects on virtually everyone in the state.
Experts should provide as clear a description as possible of what is happening and then describe options for action or inaction. There are all kinds of situations in which someone should get expert advice but retain decision-making authority. Does a lawyer make the decision for a client whether to file for divorce? No. Does an ophthalmologist decide for a patient to have cataracts removed? No.
The governor should make decisions based on all important factors. If we make the decision to reopen business based solely on medical considerations, we will not reopen until an effective vaccine is developed and distributed, because the virus will always be there, waiting for another chance. At some point we have to return at least partially to normalcy.
