[JamesBarney]

The problem is there really isn't a sensible middle ground option.

It's like only spraying enough water on a fire to keep it from spreading out of control but not enough to put it out. When you're house is on fire there really is only two sensible options. Let it burn down your house or put it out.

It doesn't make a lot of sense to get the R down to ~1. This is a partial lockdown that last until the vaccine comes out and kills 1600 people a day.

It seems better to lock down and test and trace harder until r gets to .5 then wait for it to mostly extinguish then cautiously open up. Or let it rip through the populous until we have herd immunity.