There is no perfect "sweet spot". Taking the financial consequences out of it, we can't calculate exactly how many more will die FROM COVID-19 if we are to lift the restrictions completely today, or if we do a phased approach, do one or the other of the preceding in a month, two months, three months or six, nor if we keep the restrictions in place 18 or more months while we wait for a vaccine. We won't really know which of those is the "perfect" choice until scientists are writing the epilogue to this story.
The economy is a different story. The longer we wait, the worse it will be. Period. There are no variables that crop up and make it better for the economy to wait 3, 6, 9, 12, or 18 months and then open it up.
I support a phased approach for relaxing restrictions. Those of us who can stay at home, we should continue to do that to the extent possible until things look different. Those of you who need to get back to work to save your businesses and your careers, you need to be able to do so as soon as reasonably possible. But when you do, you surely need to protect yourself and to be careful not to endanger your loved ones should you catch this stuff so that you don't unknowingly bring it home and spread it to someone who is far more vulnerable to its effects than you may be yourself. Remember, your contacts have contacts. This stuff leapfrogs from person to person to person invisibly.
No matter what your local city, town or county, your state, and the federal government decides, second guessers will have a field day: "They should have waited longer!" "They waited too long!" "This should have opened sooner!" "That should have stayed closed longer!" Friends, there is no perfect sweet spot. One of the burdens of leadership, be it local, state, and federal, is bearing the burden of criticism for decisions, I get that. I simply encourage you, as you think critically in this, is to focus on WHAT you think is right more than WHO you think is right. And be honest with yourself, if your WHAT'S right is severely influenced by WHO you think is right (or wrong), I suggest you learn to think for yourself, because your "sheeple act" is getting old.
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