New Trump panel to explore path to reopening US economy

The Latest: South Korea reports 27 new virus cases

Leave it to Mother Nature to knock Mother Nature off the front page. After months of mounting concern about the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and its myriad impact, Monday&rsquo;s big story was the high winds that ripped a chunk of roofing off the Wilkes-Barre City Hall, blew over trees and killed the electricity for many in the area.
				So most of us got to wake listening to the roaring gales and wondering if our homes and our loved ones were spared from the blasts tearing at us &mdash; in spots &mdash; at the speed limit on Pennsylvania Interstate highways.
				While it may hardly seem like respite to replace one long-term worry with another shorter-term problem, there is a certain value to it.
				Fallen trees and downed power lines give us something we can see and fix. Chain saws fired up around the area by noon and buzzed here and there all day. Bucket trucks deployed to cut up nearly fallen trees or restore power lines. Even something as simple as stepping out the door and grabbing a stray recycling bin on the street or a branch sitting in the gutter &mdash; things causing drivers to swerve cars dangerously &mdash; had a definitive, measurable impact.
				Yes, we could think, that helped. My driveway is no longer blocked. The tree leaning against the side of the house is in pieces on the ground without doing further damage. The road is clear, the broken window boarded up.
				The wild weather may have wreaked a little havoc, but it was havoc tamed with tools and hard work.
				The problem with the COVID-19 pandemic, obviously, is that we don&rsquo;t see the impact of our actions. Jobs are lost, savings are drained, masks are worn, lines cue up outside grocery stores, sports vanish, churches close, toilet paper and yeast (yeast!) become equally rare, and Easter and Passover become tiny gatherings or virtual affairs. And things are getting better how?
				The difference is stark. You can hire a contractor with a truck and chain saw to wipe the fallen tree from your landscape. You can replace the car or repair the broken window or damaged siding or even the roof. You can&rsquo;t cut out the pandemic, you can&rsquo;t replace the jobs lost or lives lost.
				But here&rsquo;s the thing: The resolve that fixes one is just as essential in fixing the other. If you looked at a downed tree and called the insurance company and the guy with the truck and power saw, you did it with a &ldquo;get it over with and move on&rdquo; attitude. We need the same attitude to get through the pandemic, it just has to last longer.
				Elsewhere in this issue you can read stories about how the daily increase in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 has slowed &mdash; a lot. There are caveats: Are we testing enough to get an accurate picture? Are we able to get over the hump without seeing sudden surge upward again? Can we last much longer without business as usual, and how do recover without starting a new wave of the virus spreading?
				But the preliminary evidence suggests what we are doing &mdash; all the social distancing, mask wearing, line waiting and closings of businesses and schools &mdash; it&rsquo;s all starting to work. It may feel like you&rsquo;re trying to remove the giant fallen tree with pruning sheers, bow saw and wheelbarrow, and it&rsquo;s taking forever instead of a few hours. But it is working.
				The fallen tree is visible and concrete. The coronavirus is invisible, but we are proving it&rsquo;s not invincible.

Our view: Resolve shown in storm recovery needed to finally defeat COVID-19