Tesla CEO Elon Musk heavily criticized the mandatory lockdown against Coronavirus that is currently in place and said that it takes away people’s freedom. His Twitter handle has been on fire since yesterday after the Tesla Q1 earnings call.
“If somebody wants to stay in the house, that’s great. They should be allowed to stay in the house, and they should not be compelled to leave. But to say that they cannot leave their house and they’ll be arrested if they do, this is fascist, this is not democratic, this is not freedom,” Musk said during the Q1 earnings call.
Commenting on this whole situation, Ben Sullins weighed in on both sides of the argument, using data to figure out the real picture.
Here’s what you need to know.
Elon Musk’s Coronavirus Plan Puts Him At Odds
According to most experts, the quarantine in place has helped prevent the virus from spreading. However, several people have argued that letting people continue their lives is the best defense against the coronavirus.
For example, in Sweden, the government is taking an unconventional approach to allow citizens to continue their daily lives. They have placed some restrictions on schools but have allowed businesses to open, with the advice of working from home whenever possible.
Sweden’s Deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lovin told CNN that the fight against Coronavirus is not a race but a marathon. She understands that restrictions are going to be in place for a very long time, but almost all the experts in Sweden aren’t critical of the government’s decision.
However, the death toll in the region is higher than most other Nordic countries like Denmark, Norway, and Finland, which are following strict lockdown measures. Sweden has had 22 deaths per 100,000 people. Meanwhile, Norway and Finland each have suffered 4 deaths per 100k residents, falling behind is Denmark, which has suffered 7 deaths per 100k population.
Ben Sullins, in his analysis of Elon’s claim, pointed out that “Rt,” which tells us how infectious a disease is, remains below the dangerous limit in the case of Coronavirus in most parts of the US.
Furthermore, he pointed out that Dr. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy in the US, has given the nod to a new drug called “Remedesivir,” aimed at blocking the Coronavirus infection.
The drug has shown positive effects on the recovery of Covid-19 patients. However, the principal investigator behind the clinical trial has said that the drug is not the end of the story, and more work still needs to be done.
How Is Tesla Doing Amid Covid-19 Pandemic?
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1255760749202309120
The Q1 earnings call was a success for Tesla, the EV maker’s stocks crossed the $880 mark. However, analysts remain cautious regarding the Q2 results because Tesla hasn’t made a single car in its Bay area factory for the entire month of April 2020.
The results of which are likely going to have an impact on Tesla’s performance next quarter. Hence, it is no surprise that Elon Musk is against the mandatory Coronavirus lockdown imposed on businesses.
However, as we have seen, people are still evaluating the best strategy against Coronavirus. On one side, governments face unprecedented job losses and a huge economic recession; on the other, millions of lives are at stake.
Among all of this, it seems that Elon Musk is hoping for a bipartisan solution. But in these difficult times, moderation might just be the hardest thing to achieve.
