Ethics and Government Response in the Context of COVID-19

DISCUSSIONASSIGNMENTI NSTRUCTIONS The student will complete 6 Discussions in this course.The student will post onethread of at least 300 words by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Thursday of the assigned Module: Week. The student must then post 2 replies of at least 140 words by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday of the assigned Module: Week.For each thread, in addition to the course textbooks, students must support their assertions with at least 2 scholarly citations in APA format. Each reply, in addition to the course textbooks, must incorporate at least 1 scholarly citation in APA format. Any sources cited must have been published within the last five years. Read and complete the following Case: Ethics and the Coronavirus below. Address each question in the case. Please see the attached document. Your submission should be substantive and supported by references. Be sure to include a biblical application concerning the subject matter of your case. Ethics and the Coronavirus As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to grow and the death toll mounts, it's useful, from an ethics perspective, to use our experiences to date to evaluate our personal responsibilities to each other in this crisis. Why does this matter?Our society depends on communal efforts to improve the lives of everyone and this can't be done unless we act responsibly, not take advantage of others, and look out for each other. Government Response There is no doubt the U.S. government was not prepared for the virus outbreak.Eventhough China knew about it as far back as December 2019, the government acted as if it knew nothing about the potential risk to citizens of this quick-moving virus.The result has been a severe lack of testing kits, insufficient number of ventilators, and concern about the number of hospital beds in intensive care units. Moreover, the rationing of medical care may eventually occur. The slow response contributed to the need for states and local governments across the country to declare a state of emergency. Citizens were told to self-isolate, not go out except when absolutely necessary, practice social distancing, wash hands with soap and water, not touch their faces and avoid groups of more than 10 people. Many cities totally shut down for all intents and purposes. The early failings on the government side raise questions about the competency and believability of federal officials. It seems that President Trump had a different take on the severity of the crisis and how quickly it could be resolved than the scientists prompting some Americans to wonder: Who Should We Trust? The stock market has had a violent, negative reaction, virtually wiping out all the gains after Trump was elected with the fear it would lose 50 percent or more before everything is said and done. Perhaps the most troubling occurrence is that at the outset federal health employees interacted with Americans quarantined for possible exposure to the coronavirus without proper medical training or protective gear, then scattered into the general population, according to a government whistle-blower who lawmakers say faced retaliation for reporting concerns. Personal Responsibility Generally speaking, most Americans have acted responsibly to the crisis by practicing social distancing and staying home. Others seem to be hoarding supplies and have bought enough toilet paper to last through 2020. A Tennesseeman bought 17,700 bottles of hand sanitizerand was being investigated for price-gouging. He was selling them on Amazon at a steep