Letter to governor is way off base

Ill-advised.

That’s one way to describe it. Some of the others probably don’t belong in print.

State Rep. J.D. Prescott (R-Union City), whose district includes Jay County, Randolph County and part of Delaware County, was one of four state representatives along with Jim Lucas, Christy Stutzman and Christopher Judy who sent a letter dated April 20 to Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb. In short, it questioned Holcomb’s most recent extension of the state’s stay-at-home order through May 1 and called for reopening the Hoosier economy now.

The letter made a variety of arguments that do not hold water. Let’s take a look:

•”The original prediction of the number to succumb to COVID-19 has been significantly reduced downward.”

Yes, that is true. But that’s not an argument to end social-distancing. If anything, it’s an argument to continue the practice that has been successful in helping us avoid a massive spike in infections.

•”Since the original executive orders were implemented, we have also discovered many forms of effective treatments using existing medications.”

False. Simply false.

Corticosteroids have been used to treat some patients, but their effectiveness has not been determined. There are no FDA-approved drugs that have been proven safe and effective against COVID-19

There are theories.

There are trials.

There are absolutely not “many forms of effective treatments.”

•”It has since been discovered that countless people have either already had the virus or currently have it yet are asymptomatic.”

Absolutely not. In fact, as of Thursday, 75,553 Hoosiers have been tested. They are counting. And that count is barely over 1% of the state’s more than 6.7 million residents. Beyond that, the fact that someone can have the virus and be asymptomatic shows just how dangerous it is. You, the editor of a newspaper or even a state representative can be a carrier without even knowing it.

We thoroughly understand the desire to get our economy opened back up. We, like everyone, want to be able to go out to eat, attend a concert or just get together with friends in public.

Perhaps no one is more anxious to get the country reopened than President Donald Trump. But even he said Wednesday he “disagreed strongly” with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s move to ease his state’s month-long shutdown.

The federal government has set out sensible guidelines — whitehouse.gov/openingamerica — for reopening. One of the criteria is to have a downward trajectory of documented cases or a downward trajectory of positive tests as a percentage of total tests. Indiana has not yet come close to meeting either.

The coronavirus pandemic has made amateur epidemiologists of us all. Everyone has an opinion. But not all of our opinions should hold the same weight.

The opinions that matter most are not those of Prescott, his fellow representatives or even this newspaper. Rather, the most important opinions are those of experts like Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box, like Ohio Department of Health director Dr. Amy Acton, like Dr. Anthony Fauci, who has served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious disease since the Reagan administration, like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and like the leaders of our own local hospitals.

To his credit, Holcomb is following the advice of medical experts. And he’s collaborating with governors of other Midwest states about when and how Indiana should begin to lift stay-at-home restrictions.

He should be applauded for doing so.

As for the letter from Prescott and his colleagues, it was irresponsible. Following its advice would put Hoosiers in danger. Lifting restrictions immediately would potentially negate the positive impact the stay-at-home order has made in terms of slowing the spread of coronavirus and saving lives.

We hope the governor read the letter and promptly discarded it. That’s the fate it deserved. — R.C.