This is my biggest concern with this virus. It's not the mortality aspect. It's the after effects and hidden issues we are just now finding out.
Let's say .1% dies in the US. I was going to say .01% but we already surpassed that, so .1% is 330,000. We as of this morning already have 63,746 deaths with about 57,000 happening in April (more than the flu total deaths which is throughout a year). And April was with social distancing in effect for at least parts of the country, I think it is plausible that we get to 330k before this is said and done, especially since we are 20% there already.
Now that number sucks - we have already had more deaths than every war we have fought other than WWII (291,557) and Civil War (498,332). In April alone we had more deaths than car accidents (38,00 - seat belt laws estimate saving about 14,000 lives annually) kill in a year, so 330,000 will have a true impact on society.
But that's what concerns me. The flu doesn't mess with your brain. The flu doesn't kill your liver. This is happening with this little #&(#&*$ virus. So for those who survive, a sizable portion will have some long term affects.
These are people who are going to need some sort of continuum of care after. They will not be able to function to 100% after this. And we aren't sure what the long term aspects are yet because it hasn't been enough time to be long term to see.
Yes, it could be SOOOOO much worse. OH DEAR LORD can you imagine if measles mutated, whether by nature or was made into a bio-weapon. Small pox? Holy crap. I don't even want to imagine. But that's the thing.
We need to balance safety with living a life, but we also need to be prepared for the inventivable outcome of what this is going to do to folks. Whether we open up today or open up 2 months from now, there will be a lot of people who will be forever impacted by this and we, as a country, need to figure out 1 - how to make sure they are taken care of because in this war they are our injured vets and 2 - fund and put into place safe guards so if a new virus pops up again, and it will, we are better prepared. We used to be. We defunded it. And look what not being prepared did.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/04/coronavirus-death-toll-vietnam-war-cvd/#close
https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/occupant-protection/seat-belts/
https://www.asirt.org/safe-travel/road-safety-facts/
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-disease-2019-vs-the-flu