This will be a different Monday

I encountered this post on the Daily Koz and it got me thinking. After the last few days and this weekend, the post suggests that teachers should think about how teachers should address the Coronavirus on Monday. Kids of most ages watch the news and certainly listen to their parents and they will have concerns. What should teachers have to say. The article offers some suggestions and the article is worth the attention of all teachers.

I would go further than this. I think the U.S, faces some unique challenges as a function of our health care system. No matter how you stand on universal health care, we face a problem because many would try to “tough out” what they normally would assume was the flu or a cold. This behavior would be catastrophic under the present circumstances. This typical reaction is magnified by the reluctance of those without health care to avoid the cost of a visit to the doc. We have a great health care system and great public health care experts. All of this offset by failure to address the issue of preventative care. A pandemic is about a terrible problem for a system that is not focused on preventative care for all. 

I have no solutions and I would argue there are not solutions unless the present system is changed on at least a temporary basis. If this situation progresses in any way, I would like to see the Feds offer free office visits to all. Even if you look at this from a financial perspective (which those focused on a preventative system do), this would have to be a more effective approach than trying to deal with the damage caused by a pandemic after the fact.