[sofixa]

> Quarantining the sick, yes. Quarantining the well…that was a bit unprecedented.

The well.. for an airborne illness with up to two weeks incubation period and frequent lack of symptoms? Many were sick and spreading and had no way of knowing, hence the abundance of caution.

[kcplate]

Ahh yes, the old “our intentions were good and virtuous even if the outcome of our actions was more harmful so we should be excused for our bad decisions” argument.

That might be a valid excuse if the tyrants didn’t double and triple down on bad policies even after it became apparent that lockdown policies were more hurtful than helpful to the populace. Ignorance is an excuse until you are no longer ignorant.

[jrockway]

How was the outcome harmful? We got remote work widely accepted, very few people were denied treatment when they did get the disease, we rolled out a vaccine in less than a year, the stock market went up, and software engineering salaries reached all time highs.

Listen. We botched the response to the pandemic, and many people died that didn't need to die. But at no point was having to wear a mask to get your coffee at Starbucks even the tiniest inconvenience for any reasonable person.

[kcplate]

> How was the outcome harmful?

> We botched the response to the pandemic, and many people died that didn’t need to die.

You answered your own question.

but…to add to your answer, the harm done to schoolage kids is becoming pretty well known. I’d rather not sacrifice our future again to protect a bunch of 80 year olds