Should health concerns trump economic concerns during crisis?

n the 10 weeks since COVID-19 was detected in the U.S., it has levied untold suffering in our country. At the time of this writing, it has sickened over 300,000 and killed over 8,000, numbers that cannot capture the grief of the families and friends who shoulder the loss of their loved ones. It has demanded immense sacrifices from health professionals, who must hold the line with dwindling resources. It has shuttered businesses and put people out of work. Underscoring the gravity of the crisis, there are no evidence-based drug treatments for COVID-19, and a vaccine is unlikely to arrive before 2021. This pandemic is unprecedented in modern times, and it warrants an aggressive response.