Unfortunately, the media is setting this up as 'stay in lockdown' v 'return to "normal"'.
This is what happens when your news values are about controversy rather than deliberation.
Same thing happened with climate change, and the media really need to learn this lesson
The whole framing of 'getting back to normal', 'snapping back', 'ending the lockdown' is WRONG & is derailing even well-intentioned discussion.
The transition we have to manage is about much more than as quick a return to the status quo as possible
It's a more complicated thing
THAT'S the debate the media should be encouraging. Not pitting economists and health experts against fringe radicals like the IPA. Get on people who can talk about the nature of the change that is necessary and how we get there.
That will create differing opinions too, so the media will get their 'conflict'. But it will be productive argument, not argument for the sake of argument.
Please don't reduce this discussion to 'when do we end the lockdown'.
That's just one small part of what we need to know.
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