understanding of what a correct response should have been, despite evidence from numerous iconoclastic approaches to the virus, such as that used by the nation of Sweden. Hopefully, the final data on excess mortality rates, herd immunity, and the differentiation between actual COVID infection rates and regular flu infections will provide us better fidelity in the future and a more realistic baseline with which to plan for future epidemics or pandemics. (The fact that 2020 saw an apparent disappearance of the flu also needs better explaining, especially if the actual reason lies in the common flu being misdiagnosed as COVID-19.) When America does plan for the next national health emergency, she would be well-served to go far beyond the questions of how many months a nation should shutter its businesses. Perhaps the greatest, and yet unlearned, lesson of the last year, is our myopia, or how astrategic we have been in focusing on just the obvious effect of the virus and not the other multivalent factors which impact all our lives... According to the CDC, shockingly, the strict U.S. lockdowns have led to 41% of adults contemplating suicide. Add to that the long- term economic, psychological, and even spiritual costs of closing businesses, schools, and churches, and Dennis Prager may in fact be right. The idea that we locked down the world, politicized relevant and possibly effective drugs such as hydroxychloroquine, which had been used safely since the 1960s, purely
because a certain president praised them, when we were in fact facing a virus which only seriously endangered less than 0.5% of those it infected, cannot be allowed to happen again. As it stands, we have no idea how great the long-term damage will be to our economies, or to our children. Next time we must do better... much better. For as the then- president warned us, “The cure must never be worse than the disease.” But we should also celebrate the good... the incredible service of our scientists and health workers, the unprecedented cajoled and inspired private companies to develop three vaccines in one year, a feat never ever accomplished before, and the resilience of everyone who kept America running (when they were allowed to). But we should also celebrate the good... the incredible service of our scientists and health workers, the unprecedented leadership of former President Trump who cajoled and inspired private companies to develop three vaccines in one year, a feat never ever accomplished before, and the resilience of everyone who kept America running (when they were allowed to). leadership of former President Trump who
American Consequences
American Co s quences
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