By Matt Rooney
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Statewide COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to drop in New Jersey and the state’s ventilator capacity is at just 41.3%. That’s according to the Murphy Administration’s official data (take that for what it’s worth). The curve isn’t just flat; it’s inverting.
How much better are things as of late?
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Governor Phil Murphy just sent 50 ventilators to his home state of Massachusetts, earning him a public “thank you” from that state’s Republican Governor Charlie Baker:
Thank you to NJ @GovMurphy and our friends in New Jersey for lending Massachusetts 50 ventilators to support the Commonwealth's hospital system. #COVID19MA pic.twitter.com/FvPh18CLW2
— Charlie Baker (@MAGovArchive) May 1, 2020
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We’re giving away life-saving equipment. Cuomo is, too, by the way.
So here’s my question:
Why is Murphy so uncomfortable providing a detailed albeit adjustable reopening plan?
If you got a straight answer from him or his office, it’d probably go something like “we don’t want people to run out and cases to spike,” but most resident and stakeholders aren’t advocating for a fast or “hard” start. What’s the harm in a gradual reopening between now and Memorial Day Weekend?
We’re clearly past peak and heading down; if we weren’t, Murphy wouldn’t be giving away ventilators.
Right?
Yet another question I’d like to see a journalist ask but probably never will.
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