Keeping the coronavirus death toll in perspective | TheHill

Up to a third of small businesses may never reopen. The effects of the shutdown are cascading through every aspect of society in ways too complex to fully comprehend. Supply chains have been thrown into chaos by the mandated closures. Planning future production is almost impossible with consumer and business demand so unpredictable.  Manufacturing output has seen the largest decline in over 70 years. Less developed countries that depend on exporting their raw materials face civil unrest if their populations remain unemployed. Poverty is the greatest cause of death worldwide. The coronavirus panic will stunt the lives of millions of children across the globe. 

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To be concerned about the effects of the global shutdown is not to be indifferent to human suffering; it is to be moved by that suffering. Public health experts are understandably focused on one thing: Using every possible mechanism to eradicate the virus. But balancing those efforts against other social needs lies outside their professional competence.   Funding for current and future public health initiatives alone depends on keeping private economic activity alive, but the tax base is being decimated.  

via thehill.com

Heather makes some good points here. The whole national shutdown thing has gotten out of hand. There has to be some sort of more nuanced approach. But we’re not getting that from either party. Big surprise.