[bgorman]

This is a massive overreaction. We are past the point of containment, yet we are enacting policies based on containment.

The virus is here to stay in the US for the next year. It doesn't make any sense to limit social interaction (for young people) for just 2 weeks. If there is no vaccine and the rate of expose gets down, after the "lockdown" is lifted, transmission will simply pick up again.

The media and WHO are complicit in spreading hysteria like claiming the mortality rate is 3.4% (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/03/05/coro...) based on completely faulty numbers. These numbers are obviously flawed because they do not account for people who have not had major symptoms and thus have not been diagnosed.

The actual way to stop the spread is to tell elderly folks and people with underlying health conditions to stay at home. Not to keep young people out of their gyms (All bay area gyms are now shutdown). The hospitalization rate for under 45 year olds is very low. By allowing under 45 year olds to get sick and develop immunity, we can actually stop the spread.

There is no endgame for social distancing everyone other than waiting for a vaccine (won't happen soon) or hoping the summer stops the transmission rate (not guaranteed). It is selfish to expect the majority of the population to stay away from work and gyms when the risk is extremely low for them. Note that young and old will continue to cross paths in close proximity at grocery stores, the post office and other "essential" locations. It is just wishful thinking that a two week break will lead to a long term fix.

[marnett]

There is a lot that remains unknown about the COVID-19 disease. Is it biphasic? Does it leave lung scarring or other chronic ailments? I think you are being very presumptuous as to the type of virus SARS-CoV-2 and disease COVID-19 are. Could you imagine how naive you would sound giving this advice during other unknown viral pandemics? For example the 80s HIV and AIDS crisis. Obviously COVID-19 is nowhere as fatal, but to assume there are zero long term repercussions is a little early as of now. Perhaps slowing down and waiting for more answers as research ramps up is not the worst short term trade off.

[matchbok]

Weird how every expert, who all have decades more experience than you, disagree with everything you said. I guess they are all wrong.

[bgorman]

Out of curiosity, which "experts" have you seen claim that the virus can be contained at this point, and what is the timeframe for containment?

The only thing that I believe is objectively contentious in my post is whether allowing young people to get exposed would help things.

[fortran77]

Hacker News deep-thinkers have the answer for everything!