You can’t eliminate all exposure. I agree with that. What we can do is limit exposure to everyone (including the high risk population) by implementing some simple safety measures nationwide:
- Masks anywhere outside the home where social distancing isn’t possible
- social distancing everywhere
- no large group gatherings (at home or in public)
- for indoor activities masks and distancing are especially important.
- For restaurants and bars: masks for all staff, masks for all customers except when seated at a table eating, all tables 6 feet apart, no seating at the bar, no standing room area
- When possible allow high risk workers to either work remotely or work in a role with less contact with the public
- Any worker that can work remotely should be
- Continue to offer “senior hours“ and/or carve out times and places where high risk people can go about tjeir business with less chance of exposure, if possible.
If all of this was implemented and followed and enforced nationwide I believe the case counts would be much lower and everyone would be able to participate in the economy and go about their business. I would still encourage higher risk people to avoid large crowd places like a theme park or indoor dining venue but that would be voluntary.
On the economic front, the vast majority of the economy can function under the scenario laid out above. Maybe not every single business, but the vast majority, so the economy and society don‘t need to grind to a halt. The final step would be to look at the businesses and workers directly harmed by there rules and have the government make them whole. Business owners and also their workers. I’m not saying any of this is easy, but it’s doable if we all bought in.
