Why isn't there a “Manhattan project” for Covid19?

COVID-19 has been called[1] a 'wicked problem'[2] -- tackling it requires efforts across various social systems that may interact unpredictably.

That makes it challenging for organizers to set up and assign funding to one individual project. Instead we're seeing lots of initiatives spring up to improve outcomes in specific areas.

It'd be great to match people who want and are comfortably able to help with effective, useful projects that need their skills.

From what I've seen so far around the Hacker Newsiverse, 'Help With Covid'[3] seems to be a well-organized meta-organization that is responding to the crisis, and I'd be glad to hear of others.

[1] - https://apnews.com/bee165affca84bf3f447453eb2034e13

[2] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked_problem

[3] - https://helpwithcovid.com/

Lots of scientists are busy working on Covid19. I'd wager that there are more of them working on Covid19 today than there were working on the Manhattan project then.

The Manhattan project was also, and perhaps mostly, an industrial effort: 90% of the budget went into industrial capability to produce the fissile material, and it took years to achieve.

In industry if you invest twice as much you double your production capability, but in research it does not add up that way. Things do not happen overnight even if you offer to pay more, a la Trump.

The US at least no longer has the unity, trust, or will to coordinate collective action through government.