We don't need another hero -- all those stories about 3d printing N95s and DIY masks are doing more harm than good

Blogger ate the post that was supposed to run this morning, so here's a quick rant so I can vent.

You know all of those stories about clever and inspiring workarounds to medical equipment shortages? Engineering team invents new ventilator, local resident uses 3d printer to help local hospital, grandparents volunteer to sew surgical masks. They are hopeful stories, they make you feel good and they need to stop.

We have, as a culture, become enamored of the trivial non-solution. Something interesting to talk about while giving us an excuse to put off what we need to do. In this case, we need to start producing tens of thousands of ventilators, millions of pieces of protective gear for health care workers and billions of cheaper surgical masks and gloves for the general public. We need to do it now. Any plan or suggestion that doesn't approach that scale is a dangerous and self-indulgent distraction.

This is the country that put out three Liberty Ships every two days. We are capable of filling warehouses with cheap plastic goods.