COVID-19: Is Saving Lives the Most Important Thing?

Note: In this article I am not advocating for defying social distancing measures that are recommended or ordered by governments around the world. I am simply asking a question and offering something to consider as we debate and determine our path forward from here, as almost everyone on the planet is currently impacted in some way by the COVID-19 coronavirus, either directly or indirectly. I believe we do need to listen to the advice and expertise of those authorities who are managing this crisis. But we also shouldn’t listen to and follow authority blindly. There needs to be a balance between governments and the people. Everyone involved has a right to voice their opinion on the situation we find ourselves in and add input on how we should proceed in the coming weeks and months as we figure out the best and smartest ways to deal with this unprecedented and historic challenge to humanity.

Today is April 20th, 2020. Last week, Doctor Mehmet Oz stirred controversy on Fox News when he suggested that maybe we should re-open schools sometime soon, because a study by The Lancet had shown that closing schools down had only resulted in a 2–3% reduction of deaths from the coronavirus. After people expressed outrage over his comments as being insensitive, he apologized and clarified his statements. Here’s a short video that captures the controversy: