COVID response was an extreme. First we weren't prepared at any level of government for a pandemic like this and then we panicked and made policy on numbers that weren't even remotely accurate. We asked Americans who have no concept of being locked in their homes to pivot and do it in a matter of a week with no timeline or tangible benefit to doing it other than to "flatten the curve". Then the message changes from flatten the curve to saving every life. Then we don't understand why there is pushback. I honestly think given all of that people have taken this quite well. I honestly believe like everything else the appropriate response was somewhere in the middle. Not lock everything down from the get go and create the self inflicted economic toll we have on top of the virus, but also not do anything. We should have locked down the nursing homes and tried to shelter the vulnerable first and then decided if additional steps were needed. The problem is in my opinion the only voice we heard was from doctors, who by nature would tell you not to take any risks with your health. So of course their opinion was to lock everything down. What I question is where was the balance
in terms of economists, psychologists, etc. that we needed to help make decisions. They weren't there.