Preventing an economic collapse whilst fighting Coronavirus — The most important challenge facing humankind.

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Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of COVID-19, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight transmission in the streets and restaurants. We shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the airports. We shall defend our land, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight in the kitchens, we shall fight in the bathrooms, we shall fight in the workplace and in the hospitals, we shall fight in the Metro — and we shall never surrender! And if, which I do not for a moment believe, this land were subjugated to the illness, then our scientists and engineers around the world, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, new technologies, with all their power and might, could step forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old and unwell. There are arguments on both sides for the counter measures nations have taken and it is clear that it is a delicate balancing act of protecting public health and not stuffing up the economy too hard. We can likely thread the needle between not letting too many people die, and not prompting an economic catastrophe: 1. Suppress the disease by minimising interpersonal contact for a while, either going all the way immediately, or ramping up restrictions over a few weeks, depending on feasibility. 2. Gradually loosen those restrictions for the young and healthy to get the economy moving again — adding temperature checks, putting hand sanitizer everywhere, keeping our distance from one another, opening cafes but not raves, rapid COVID tests, shaming sick people who leave the house, clamping down on any uncovered coughing, creating special 'fever units' to safely receive potential carriers, etc. 3. Find some way to make basic ventilators out of readily available parts, and retool existing factories to pump them out. Train semi-medical staff to operate them. Or use supplemental O2 where ventilating everyone is impractical. 4. Test every plausible anti-viral for anti-COVID activity immediately. Rush things forward and cut regulations, accepting some loss of safety. 5. Throw everything else we can at a COVID vaccine. Rush things forward and cut regulations, accepting some loss of safety. 6. Engage in massive monetary loosening, emergency loans to businesses, cash transfers to individuals, rent/mortgage payment delays, etc.

Originally posted here: https://steemit.com/coronavirus/@honeybee/preventing-an-economic-collapse-whilst-fighting-coronavirus-the-most-important-challenge-facing-humankind