Everything the US has been doing has not been to reduce the total number of cases but to rather spread those cases over a longer time frame with three goals in mind.
- fit the number of severe cases within the limits of our ventilator capacity, which continues to expand rapidly
- determine effective therapeutics to treat those that become infected and develop severe symptoms
- develop a vaccine or alternative prophylactic treatment to increase the percentage of people that experience no and minor symptoms only
This virus is with us for a long, long time. We are not avoiding future cases, we are deferring present ones. This year over 40,000 people will die of the seasonal flu and millions will contract the virus that causes it. We can expect this virus will likewise become part of that “seasonal” flu season until nearly all Americans have had it and developed what is not really a level of immunity to it, but is better defined an ability to effectively kill it off when they contract it.
I would disagree with the statement that research must “lead” us… instead I would argue that we need to adopt anecdotal treatments as they emerge and follow (not lead) with follow up research to confirm the parameters to maximize the effectiveness of any therapeutic treatments we develop from existing relatively safe medications. In the current situation, time is of the essence. Eventually, research and tradition drug testing will take place for new vaccines and drugs that are developed to specifically target the Covid 19 virus.
