White House Economists Warned of Pandemic Last Year

“White House economists published a study last September that warned a pandemic disease could kill a half million Americans and devastate the economy,” the New York Times reports.

“It went unheeded inside the administration.”

“The existence of that warning undermines administration officials’ contentions in recent weeks that no one could have seen the virus damaging the economy as it has. The study’s lead author, who has since left the White House, now says it would make sense for the administration to effectively shut down most economic activity for two to eight months to slow the virus.”