Rand Paul (R-KY) called for reopening the U.S. economy during a speech on the Senate floor on Tuesday, in the wake of new studies suggesting the coronavirus is significantly less deadly than previously anticipated.
“No amount of money, not all the money in China will save us from ourselves,” Paul stated. “Our only hope of rescuing this great country is reopening our economy.”
Paul, a medical doctor by profession, went on to suggest the impact of the coronavirus itself may not be as great as previously anticipated.
“The number of people who have already developed antibodies to the coronavirus is 25-50x higher than the number that is being reported as infected,” he added. “This is great news. This study means that the mortality rate may be 25-50x less deadly than previously thought.”
Accordingly, Paul suggested the risks should be put “in perspective”.
“These randomized tests indicated that instead of a 3.4% rate of mortality, the rate could be as much as only 0.1% or 0.2%. We now have solid scientific evidence from randomized studies that we can manage this disease without maintaining the draconian lockdown of the economy,” he concluded.
