Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Fight the Coronavirus by Paying People ‘to Stay Home’

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on Thursday floated paying people to stay home as a viable option to help fight the Chinese coronavirus.

“To get the virus under control, we need to pay people to stay home,” the New York lawmaker declared:

Ocasio-Cortez’s suggestion comes as leaders across the country begin to reimpose restrictions as concerns of spikes of the Wuhan virus grow. Some leaders, such as Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D), are discouraging people from engaging in their traditional Thanksgiving plans altogether.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is also advising Americans to refrain from traveling for Thanksgiving to minimize the spread of the Chinese virus.

“The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is at home with the people in your household,” the CDC’s Dr. Erin Sauber-Schatz stated.

Additionally, the CDC is encouraging Americans to “celebrate virtually.” In the event that people do have guests over, the CDC recommends everyone to wear a mask and maintain a distance of six feet.

Some governors are imposing limits on gatherings in private homes in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, though the enforcement of such restrictions remains in doubt.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), for example, has capped private gatherings to ten individuals.

“The rules are only as good as the enforcement. Local governments are in charge of enforcement. There are only two fundamental truths in this situation: it’s individual discipline and it’s government enforcement. Period. End of sentence,” Cuomo said in a statement announcing the restrictions.

“I need the local governments to enforce this,” he added.

On Wednesday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) announced a set of coronavirus restrictions, including an eight-person limit on gatherings in private homes, effective November 20 to December 13. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s (D) restrictions are even more severe, capping gatherings in private homes to “no more than 6 people total, from no more than 2 households.”

Last week, Ocasio-Cortez signaled that she will have a virtual Thanksgiving, celebrating with her family over Zoom: