COVID's Risk Assessment: A Commentary on the Misguided Response

The author reflects on their early estimation of COVID-19's fatality rate, which was based on authoritative sources and turned out to be close to the mark. They highlight that the expert consensus on the risks posed by COVID-19 was accurate, but the U.S. failed to effectively balance these risks with the costs of fighting the disease. The article discusses the costly and disruptive nature of prolonged lockdowns and the negative impact on schooling. The author suggests that misrepresentations of COVID-19's mortality rate and the difficulty of comprehending a mortality rate of under 1% may have contributed to faulty decision-making. The article also mentions Sweden's approach, which, despite initial overestimations, resulted in a successful and sustainable COVID-19 management effort.