[chrisk]

There will be severe long term damage to the US and world economies based on decisions being made by local, state, and federal bureaucrats.  Taking the approach most likely to save the most lives isn't always the best approach.  If it was, we wouldn't be driving cars.  I am not a medical doctor or a scientist of any kind, so I will defer to Stanford's co-director of Meta-Research Innovation Center and professor of medicine, biomedical data science, statistics, and epidemiology and population health.

But the crisis is a result of inaction. The extreme economic damage is a result of that, not something unavoidable. What is the long-term economic damage you refer to? There must be some, but much of the economic shortfall is consumption, which has a much smaller long-term effect than investment. Certain industries, such as airlines and cruises, may be impacted long-term, but there will be other industries that will be stronger and bigger.

[chrisk]

There will be severe long term damage to the US and world economies based on decisions being made by local, state, and federal bureaucrats.  Taking the approach most likely to save the most lives isn't always the best approach.  If it was, we wouldn't be driving cars.  I am not a medical doctor or a scientist of any kind, so I will defer to Stanford's co-director of Meta-Research Innovation Center and professor of medicine, biomedical data science, statistics, and epidemiology and population health.

But the crisis is a result of inaction. The extreme economic damage is a result of that, not something unavoidable. What is the long-term economic damage you refer to? There must be some, but much of the economic shortfall is consumption, which has a much smaller long-term effect than investment. Certain industries, such as airlines and cruises, may be impacted long-term, but there will be other industries that will be stronger and bigger.