Whatever the mortality rate of COVID 19, containment is VITAL

[pat_k]

All this debate about how deadly COVID 19 completely misses the point.

Even if the overall fatality rate is the same as, or less than, seasonal flu strains, every effort possible MUST to be made to CONTAIN IT -- to prevent it from becoming endemic (i.e., prevent it from circulating at a relatively high baseline level in a population EVERY year).

The endemic "seasonal" flu strains kill 300,000 to 500,000 annually.

If we could have contained these viruses when they first appeared, it would have saved many, many millions of lives over the decades.

The actions being taken aren't being taken out of "hysteria"... they are being taken to contain the disease and prevent it from becoming another endemic strain. This is true whenever a new viral strain that can kill appears.

Getting a little "hysterical" about doing everything possible to contain the disease is fully justified given that failure to contain it will result in the death of millions over time.

Even if the overall mortality rate is similar to seasonal flu, the consequences of allowing it to become endemic are horrific.