Pretend for a moment it all hadn’t happened yet, and the virus arrived alongside everything we now know about the virus. In that context, imagine a governor of an imagined state gives a speech:
People of Calizona:
There is a new virus in our proud state.
More than 99.9% of you will survive. Those who realize you’re sick will have mild symptoms, and 60-80% of you won’t even know you had it. Even among those who are 90-years old or older who get this virus, 90% will survive.
Like every malady, the elderly and unhealthy among you are at greatest risk.
Because of this new virus, I have decided to order every citizen to stay indoors until further notice. Effective immediately, all businesses except those I deem essential are to be closed. Schools are to be closed. Going to parks and beaches is now prohibited on penalty of arrest and steep fines. If you must go somewhere, be prepared to explain to the police what you are doing outside your home. If you have a legitimate reason for being outside (see list of legitimate reasons), your face must be covered, not as completely covered as women in Saudi Arabia, of course, but you get the idea: Wear masks wherever you go, except in the bank, in which case, take off the mask because the risk of virus transmission is considered better than the risk of the bank’s camera system not seeing your face. Also, you may no longer assemble or gather in groups. You may not get close to people outside your home. Speaking of your home, visits to your home by friends are now prohibited.
Of course, some will disagree with my actions, but those who use social media to try to arrange protests, Facebook will take down your pages. Some scientists will have different opinions, but if anyone places contradictory opinions on Youtube, Youtube will take down those videos. Fellow citizens, we can fight this invisible enemy and we can win, if you all follow these orders. God Bless America.
That’s the speech someone would have to give today, if based upon what we know now.
I acknowledge leaders did not know this information in February, but now they know.
I would find it hard to accept that speech – yet most Americans are accepting it.
An easy answer to restrictions is to say they’re temporary, but we can be confident many powers exercised and many restrictions imposed will continue, continue, and be applied again at other times.


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