The space shuttle was safe and saved money - until we had actual data regarding it's performance.
We need to understand the actual risk associated with these labs. One mitigation I can think of right now would be to build the labs in very remote locations, and require anyone leaving to isolate themselves for a month to check for disease. But no measures of that severity will be undertaken without evidence supporting the risks.
People on HN are technical, so we're discussing technical reasons. However, that's not really how the government works.
USPS leadership had instructions to electrify the fleet. For whatever reason, they decided they didn't want to. Maybe they didn't want to deal with a risky change, maybe they thought it would hinder meeting their other obligations. Doesn't matter. They decided they didn't want to do it.
Their next step is then to write requirements in their rfp such that they can select a contractor that cannot meet the electric mandate. This allows them to legally pass the buck for the electric thing to their contractor, who will get paid big dollars to "develop" electric vehicles that their customer doesn't want.
Congress gets to brag about their environmental contributions, USPS gets the vehicles they want, and the contractor gets a sizable sum to do nothing. Win-win-win.
Inflation increases the value of assets relative to consumption. Inflation increases the gap between the wealthy and the poor.
Deflation reduces the value of assets and makes consumption more affordable. Deflation reduces the gap between the wealthy and the poor.