How Should We Be Reacting to the Coronavirus Pandemic?

We are in this together

A warning sign at the New Rochelle City Hall entrance in New York on March 10. Westchester County in New York will be placed under containment after officials determined Tuesday it is the site of a “cluster” of new coronavirus infections. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

No one will know for sure the best responses to the COVID-19 pandemic until after it’s all over, and we look back and second guess ourselves. Hindsight will approximate 20/20; foresight almost never does.

But as someone who has the same skin in the game as everyone else — my own, those I love, plus advanced training in epidemiology and public health — my view is that we are under-testing, overreacting, and somewhat misdirecting our efforts.

We really can’t stop the general spread of this virus.

Airborne infections with a fairly high rate of infectivity — and COVID-19 qualifies — simply spread too readily to cut off transmission without fully autocratic lockdowns associated with martial law. It could theoretically be done, but many of the most vulnerable would be most adversely affected by the disruption in goods and services. We would essentially need to hit the pause button on living, all but entirely.