[geraldyo]

Yes, I agree that these costs all exist. What were those same costs where countries kept open measures, on top of the resulting deaths? I honestly can't even find that information, but it seems that it's not being factored in most calculations. It's always "open is bad because increased deaths/infections, strict is bad for the economy". I gather from the world data that the open measures have a comparable economic and human cost, on top of and also from the increased infection rate.

I think your final point is the sad truth, but not because of not having the technology: people, especially in the US, are ultra individualistic. If people thought of the folks around them as real humans with lives that would be devastated by such a disease, we wouldn't have a need for any government measures. But people decided not to wear masks. People decided not to quarantine properly. People decided to write articles such as this, condemning the few institutions that (for whatever reason) are doing even the bare minimum. Appreciate your thoughts.