Diane Francis: End the lockdown immediately — but protect the vulnerable

Diane Francis: Countries should end the lockdowns for those who are less at risk from this disease. Peter J. Thompson/National Post files

For many, it is necessary to end the closure immediately, even so, those who are the most vulnerable must continue to be protected. Certainly, a COVID-19 vaccine is at least within a year, but the current treatment for the disease, the blockade, is considered to be ended immediately.

That being the case, the facts dictate that the best course of action would be to reopen the economy while continuing to isolate people over 65 and people with underlying health problems. And it is clear that the fact of continuing to stop the entire economy until there is a vaccine will cause a financial collapse worse than the recession of 2008–09, which must be remembered that it took billions of dollars and five years to “heal”.

Likewise, older people who need to work or need financial help should receive assistance, so that the rest of society does not have to be. Seniors should be prepared, whenever possible, to work from home if they can. Older people who need assistance in staying isolated, in terms of food preparation and other care, should have these resources. In addition, he believes that nursing homes should be renovated to reduce the spread of disease.

Time to activate the economy

It should be noted that the vast majority of people under 65, and practically all people under 50, without problems more inconvenient with COVID-19 than with a cold. In this way, they would be allowed to work, socialize, volunteer, and attend school. Clearly, there are risks and there may be new outbreaks, yet in Canada, provincial health care systems have not been overwhelmed.

Likewise, some arguments argue that the initial massive blocks were a mistake, but were cautious in the absence of any warning or understanding of this viral assault. However, a total blockade will continue, it will be a gigantic mistake and it will close half of the country’s companies and destroy millions of jobs. Conversely, unrestricted reactions also affect a gigantic error.

Here are the facts: Since last month in Canada, 90 percent of COVID-19 deaths were people who died over the age of 60, but most were over the age of 75 and lived very close to one of the other in nursing homes, where viruses always spread like wildfires.

Meanwhile, however, countries that are ending blocks for those at least risk of contracting this disease. Unless that happens, the blockage cure will become much, much worse than the disease.

Source: Diane Francis | National Post