Each and every day there are more experts and scientists coming forward doubting the necessity and justification for the lockdown, panic, and fear that has held the United States in its grip since mid-March. Each and every day more and more Americans are also questioning whether the prescribed remedy may not have been worse than the disease itself. A quick look at the image above shows where protests have been held. Luckily, there is some positive movement. Today is the first day on which several states have opened up to allow more freedom of movement and commerce. This coming Monday additional states will join in. Hopefully the tide is turning and we can get back to providing for our families and loved ones.
Not all states or countries have reacted in the same way to the current crisis. Some have imposed greater restrictions on the public while others have allowed for some independent decision making. Sweden is one of the countries that did not choose to impose restrictions. They have allowed schools and restaurants to remain open as well as other businesses. They have encouraged their citizens to follow social distancing guidelines but there have been no threats of confinement or fines. These states and countries are experiencing no higher rates of infection or deaths than the rest of the United States. This link will take you to a recent news cast discussing all of the variables around rates of infection and deaths.
Most people seem to have forgotten the original discussions around flattening the curve. Flattening the curve was never meant to curb the number of cases or the number of deaths resulting from infection. It was meant to ensure the number of cases and deaths were spread over a longer time and did not overwhelm our medical system. The number of cases and deaths under the non-flattened curve and the flattened curve are the same. Here is a link to a discussion of this issue. Given this fact, we need to make a decision, how flat do we need the curve to be to minimize the social and economic impacts we will suffer. We now have over 30 million people on unemployment as a result of the lockdown. This number continues to grow. The stock market has been in sharp decline. Meats and produce are being thrown away. Not because we have stopped eating these products but because restaurants and cafeterias were a major part of the demand. When sold to the general public these products require packaging and handling for individual sale. Something they do not require when sold to restaurants and cafeterias. The food supply industry was not set up for a quick transition and yes there was a reduction in demand. The dollar value of the waste is forcing farmers and ranchers into bankruptcy every additional day we are on lockdown.
I realize there are people in all walks of life who are scared to death of a return to normalcy. Their decision making hangs on every word from any number of pundits and supposed experts. How many times have these experts changed their story? Even now as we have approached ending the lockdown I see stories of new research coming out of China indicating prior exposure and antibodies doesn't mean you can not be re-infected. Why does the media want to believe China when they have so mislead us. Who in his/her right mind believes the numbers of cases and deaths being provided by the Chinese? If we are to wait for a vaccine against CCP virus we could be on lockdown for another year. Is this what anybody wants? it is time to end the lockdown now. We can still implement common sense measures to limit the spread of infection. Wash our hands regularly, wear masks if we are coughing or sneezing, better yet not go out in the public if coughing or sneezing, running a fever or demonstrating any symptoms. What we cannot continue to do is deprive Americans of a means to secure their livelihood and provide for their families.