But all of that assumes that we can’t change. It’s based on the assumption that the only two choices are millions of deaths or a wrecked society.
That’s not true. We can create a third path. We can decide to meet this challenge head-on. It is absolutely within our capacity to do so. We could develop tests that are fast, reliable, and ubiquitous. If we screen everyone, and do so regularly, we can let most people return to a more normal life. We can reopen schools and places where people gather. If we can be assured that the people who congregate aren’t infectious, they can socialize.
We can build health-care facilities that do rapid screening and care for people who are infected, apart from those who are not. This will prevent transmission from one sick person to another in hospitals and other health-care facilities. We can even commit to housing infected people apart from their healthy family members, to prevent transmission in households.
These steps alone still won’t be enough.
“We can make things better; it’s not too late. But we have to be willing to act.” @aaronecarroll and @ashishkjha offer a strategy for beating the coronavirus pandemic: https://t.co/D1txAwUjXG
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) March 19, 2020