In a recent Facebook post, I pointed out that if Johns Hopkins researchers were correct, the death rate from corona virus in the U.S. is either a lot LESS than the death rate for the seasonal flu, or equal to it.
While we wait to learn if the above is true, I'd like to address the graphic with two curves going around the web. One curve says hospitals will be overwhelmed if we don't implement wide scale "social distancing" remedies. The other shows how such social distancing will prevent overwhelming hospitals and caretakers. Social distancing is a wise approach, but panic and economic stagnation is not. Losing trillions of dollars in economic activity are indirect causes of deaths.
There needs to be a new attitude to supplement social distancing. It needs to be an attitude that replaces the deadly economic slowdown, which occurs when panic and toilet paper hoarding becomes the norm. So here's my pep talk. History proves that Americans have an amazing ability to mobilize, unite and PRODUCE when called upon in a crisis. As an example, let's look at how we responded as a society during World War II. World War II ended 75 years ago. During the war, we manufactured about 300,000 planes, about 90,000 tanks, 12,000 Navy ships, over 60,000 landing vehicles, and millions of rifles and supporting equipment in an amazingly short period of time. We also deployed 16 million soldiers, 6 million of whom were volunteers. The response was outstanding, amazing, phenomenal!
It's accurate to say, our manufacturing ability, our communication and mobilization systems, and our overall emergency response systems have increased significantly since then. If the Coronavirus turns out to be a real enemy, threatening to kill millions of Americans, as did the Nazis, Americans would mobilize just as quickly as we did 75 years ago, but with FAR more effectivity, given our substantially greater wealth, technology and business capabilities.
The results would be overwhelmingly more impressive than what was achieved during WWII. We'd be able to build the required amount of hospital extensions (makeshift or otherwise) equipped with beds, respirator machines, and whatever else was necessary to protect our citizens in short order. We'd also have millions of hospital volunteers, many hazmat suit protected, ready to go to war against the virus, just as we had millions of volunteers ready to fight the Nazis. We'd rise to the challenge and WIN!
Finally, rather than thinking about how to NOT do things in our economy, let's commit to DOING things! Consider getting out of that long line of hoarders and invest, start a business, shop online. If you can't go to Disneyland, subscribe to Disney+. If you can't attend the opera, buy Pavarotti's greatest hits and a fine bottle of wine.
Wrapping up, it's my opinion that we should not forget who we are, and what we're capable of achieving. We should not stoke fear and panic, and move backwards. We should rely on the motivation and tenacity of our citizens to win whatever wars we face by boldly and bravely moving forward, as we always have. God bless America!
Michael Malgeri is the creator of the “Johnny Profit” series of children’s books, which teaches young people about Capitalism. He is a co-author of #ROCKME, a Congressional Resolution that stands for "Rewards Of Capitalism:Knowledge, MORALITY, Empowerment." You can read about #ROCKME here and here. He’s also involved in projects that spread Capitalist ideas to the young people of Africa. Please visit his website at Kids4bizd
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