Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates called for a national shutdown in an opinion piece published by the Washington Post on Tuesday, saying that it would be the most effective way to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
“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,” Gates wrote.
“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 said that “creating a vaccine is only half the battle” and that the federal government should begin to build production facilities for the vaccine.