We’re shooting ourselves in the foot.
Yes, the virus could ruin the economy. But even if not, the quarantine is likely to finish off any shreds of life the virus leaves. So, here are the options: death and suffering from the virus and an economy ruined by the lack of producers and consumers; or, only as many dead as a year’s worth of bee stings, lightning strikes, and snakebites, and a ruined economy anyway.
Our culture’s decision-makers seem unaware that the path they’ve chosen, of apparent safety and security, won’t lead there. The economy will be ruined anyway, no matter what they do. They’ve already chosen the path to ruin: what the quarantine does is avoid unnecessary early deaths. (But even with a perfect quarantine, the death rate among humans is 100%.)
Another option, which none of our leaders has the courage to try, is to hope one of our “patients” (the economy) survives and endure the fear that the other won’t.
Gavin McKinley, Lima
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