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Comment by lm28469 | Hacker News Reader

> I'm saying the risk is very low. The data clearly shown that for majority of cases it either asymptotic or only mild symptom.

The data also shows that 140k Americans died (probably many more if you take into account the excess deaths that have been recorded but haven't been linked to covid yet) and many more will suffer long term side effects. The data also shows that Europeans countries almost completely curbed the epidemic and can _safely_ and _slowly_ reopen because they went through a real lock down. If anything the data clearly shows that reopening anything in the US right now is suicide for thousands of people.

This situation will be a literal text book example of how to completely fail at handling an epidemic for the centuries to come, it would be comical if it wasn't for all the preventable deaths and suffering.

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So only 140k died (0.04%) and with now with the death rate that is going down, its a good news, even more reason to reopen as soon as possible.

Amazing for someone to write off 140k deaths. Only 58,000 died in Vietnam. Thats literally in and out of "theaters of war". 1900 died in the Gulf war and those are ppl who "signed up for it".

So, only 140k died. Callous AF.

Because its not worth it to make millions other people suffer due to lockdown.

I’m sorry, but of all the things I’ve read on HN regarding this pandemic, your lack of empathy truly stands out. Of the “millions other people” you mentioned, there are two types: those who feel a sense of duty to bear their share of burden to stop this virus from taking (complete strangers’) lives, and those who reject that notion, eagerly treating those lives, and the lives of people who would grieve their losses, as statistics to be put on scale with profit and growth for a quick decision. I’m not saying that people in the latter invented that scale; that scale is indeed a fact of life. But when I think of my own experience of loss, I cannot imagine that those who tout the balance of this scale as the sole reason for policy decisions understand the weight of a lost life.

Of course i understand it can be tragic for some people to loss life due to this virus but I also understand to achieve near 0 death will also incur high cost.

>your lack of empathy truly stands out.

I disagree, I sympathize those millions who suffer due to the lockdown. Their suffering is real as well.

I hope your grandmother doesn't live in your ideal society. Forgive the strong language but my point is it's precisely the most vulnerable / neglected / oppressed of our fellow citizens and members of our society who are / have been the most at risk to coronavirus.

And that's an important consideration when we think about why a lockdown is important as well.

My grandmother will always have high risk of death given of her age, any small diseases could kill her, not just covid.

To lock her down, to not let her out the house, to deprive her with activity that she want to do will cause more damage to her physical health and mental health.

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