It’s time for a cost-benefit analysis of COVID-19 crisis

COVID-19 is killing older (85 percent greater than 60 years old), medically challenged (99% according to NYC stats) individuals.

We don’t know how many are being killed by COVID because the CDC and WHO have instructed medical professionals to classify essentially all deaths as COVID.

The past six weeks have demonstrated that COVID-19 does not pose a deadly nor significant risk to the vast majority of individuals.

Many people are likely dying unnecessarily due to the lockdown (stroke and heart attack victims not getting to the hospital)

The ILI (influenza like illness) activity for most of the US, including PA, is Low or Minimal.

Hospitals are shutting down and laying off their medical staffs because there are no patients.

After six weeks of lockdown, there is increasing evidence that it is not effective at preventing the spread of the infection. (As an example: in Delaware County, PA, twothirds of nursing homes (the priority locations for ‘prevention’) have COVID infections and deaths

The lock-down is destroying the economy. Tens of millions out of work, speculating that this might save 10s of thousands of lives: 1,000 lives destroyed per potential single death.

The lock-down is causing massive social dislocation and misery. Cancellations of school, graduations, weddings, baby showers, vacations, birthday parties, children’s sports (baseball, soccer, track), visits with grandparents, likely increasing spousal and child abuse, and on and on and on (and the previously mentioned individuals dying unnecessarily alone at home).

Gyms, parks, schools, athletic fields are all closed. Food stores remain open. This forced inactivity and isolation, combined with ‘boredom eating’ will have a huge negative impact on health – increased obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, alcohol and drug abuse, suicide…

There has been NO cost / benefit public discussion of government actions.

Governor Wolf published on April 25 a ‘plan to reopen PA’ that has no basis in science. It is arbitrary and does not follow the CDC guidelines (issued on April 16). Based on his criteria, it will likely be months before PA will be able to open.

We can anticipate huge numbers of bankruptcies and massive unemployment for years to come.

We should be concentrating our efforts on the small fraction of individuals who do need protection. The Delaware County nursing home infections and deaths demonstrates the utter failure to do the right thing, yet it appears that we’re going to continue this failed policy.

Finally, are we living in a dictatorship? Has there been or will there be ANY discussion or debate about decisions being made by the Governor? Do we not have three branches of Government? Do ‘the people’ have ANY VOICE in decisions being made?

Michael Cannarsa 915 Brintons Bridge

Road West Chester