While things may seem remarkably different for the millions of Americans hunkered down amid the coronavirus pandemic, there’s still a lot about the world that hasn’t changed. Unfortunately, that includes hurricanes.
CNN analyst and homeland security expert Juliette Kayyem joined Boston Public Radio Wednesday, where she warned that the upcoming hurricane season could exacerbate the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We’re expecting a more than moderate to possibly severe hurricane season,” she explained. “People were hoping for a mild one… I don’t know quite what the science of it [is], it’s not gonna be mild."
Kayyem said the looming threat could strain the nation’s already limited aid resources. “Let’s assume – and it’s not going to be true, but let’s assume that we survive May and maybe there’s some good news, or better testing and we have a way to contain this– which I think is all wishful thinking.”
"You’re just gonna turn right back around and have your first responder resources focused on hurricane season, at least for the gulf and the New England area.”
She also pointed out that the storms risk driving communities into shelters where person-to-person spread of the coronavirus would grow substantially, saying “it’s a real challenge.”
"I think there are some creative solutions… around utilizing Airbnb, or people cleaning a room and sort of leaving it to the evacuees,” she noted. “But it’s gonna be really hard.”
Kayyem is an analyst for CNN, former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and faculty chair of the homeland security program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
