Actually, governor, the steep rise in positive cases is not ‘alarming’ (Opinion)

There’s panic in Gov. Phil Murphy's office as he tries to figure out what to do next about the "alarming" rise in positive COVID-19 cases across the state. Anyone who has been following the news about COVID-19 and who has been doing research and learning about it from the start knows that we are exactly where they said we were going to be in terms of numbers.

In fact, we are doing better then people predicted because most experts said that 75% to 80% of us would be infected with this virus, but predicted that millions more would die. Just about every expert from the very beginning noted how incredibly infectious this virus is and foresaw that it would spread like wildfire. The governor's own Department of Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli herself, said (paraphrasing here) “we are all going to get this virus. I am going to get this virus.”

That knowledge, coupled with the easy access to testing, should handily explain why COVID-19 numbers are rising. And will probably continue to — which should make us all happy because the higher the positive numbers go, the lower the already plummeting death rate will go.

So when Murphy finds it “alarming” I just wonder why? In a recent tweet, Murphy stated that “These numbers are ALARMING and continue to rise.” But it’s strange. With all the information that he had available to him, he must have known that the numbers would be this high. Even I did, and I don’t have the access to the data and science that he does.

How is it possible that he finds it alarming when this is exactly what was predicted? Or is this disingenuousness designed just to scare the people more so that he can continue to extend the emergency and concoct more rules as he sees fit? You know what’s more “alarming” than the rising numbers of COVID-19? The increasing power that we’ve given the governor to rule our lives absolutely. That’s much scarier to me.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco. Any opinions expressed are Judi's own.