Things are starting to get ugly.

[BarbD]

Panic is beginning to bubble up. Time to take a deep breath and put a plan in place -- probably several plans.

We need to recognize several truths:
1) The world (which by definition includes us) will be fighting this virus until a vaccine is developed, produced and distributed. According to scientists this will be 12 to 18 months. We're talking about September, 2021!
2) The world (including us) cannot function that long on lock-down.
3) We need to find a way to function while fighting the virus.
The only way to do this is identify those of us who have survived Covid-19 and developed anti-bodies.

[lagomorph777]

1. More important than treatments: TESTING.

Testing (both for the virus and for antibodies) needs to be performed universally, and frequently. We could ramp that up in a month if Trump wasn't blocking it as part of his profiteering schemes.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. Who's panicking?

What do you mean by "function"?

[AtheistCrusader]

3. 3 is not correct.

There are multiple options that will help.

Covid-19 is survivable for most of us under conditions where the hospitals have capacity for those that get hit the hardest. Because the curve is flattening in places like WA, we're able to, with precautions, still function and do things. People will go back to work. There will be flare-ups, there will be continued disruption, but there need not be total lock-down for months and months.

People with anti-bodies will HELP, but it's not the ONLY critical path.

[HarlanPepper]

4. It's orderly where I am

Might be a good time for a break. Give it some thought.

[obamanut2012]

9. this

[DarthDem]

5. We need to follow South Korea's model

That means widespread testing and contact tracing. We may need to be willing to accept some invasion of our privacy (say, via a cellphone app tracing movements) in exchange for safety. Obviously the details on that need to be hammered out, and I see no reason they can't be.

This will help ease the transition out of the lockdown once the burden on hospitals and HCPs is reduced to manageable levels.

[Newest Reality]

6. I have come...

I have come to the conclusion that it does not look like we will be returning to "normal" again. This has been a significant blow to what is now proving to be a systemic problem that indicates many weaknesses and deceptions which are coming to light and emerging as critical warnings.

That's not necessarily bad, but it is going to be a very tough road we have to travel for the foreseeable future. If people live with the hope that we all get to go back to normal and say, "Whew! I am glad that's over." then that may be even more troubling and debilitating than preparing now for an end to the world as we knew it, so to speak, rather than preparing for the challenges that some chaos and major changes are bound to bring.

In that chaos and disruption, it will behoove us to collectively consider just what normal meant and how, in the face of our lack of resiliency and preparation, we can take the opportunity to stop grasping for an obsolete past and begin to open our minds and find inspiration in the potential for change and renewal this might afford us, even if that is going to take hardship, sacrifice, struggle and great patience.

As it was said, these are the times that try men's, (people's) souls. This is also a time where each one of us can reach insider ourselves and find something that we didn't know we had. We can turn the results of chaos into a better and more beneficial order, but not by craving to go back to normal, considering what it was.

[CanonRay]

7. I believe we are going to struggle until January

when we get new leadership. Even then it will take some time to unravel the ungodly mess he's made. If by some Satanic miracle he is reelected....

We can't enact the South Korean plan, or the Singapore plan, when we have no leadership capable of finding their own ass cheeks.

[obamanut2012]

8. There is no reason for ANYONE to panic

It just causes more stress, which isn't healthy for us. Be concerned, even worry some, but panicking will do nothing.

I personally know no one who is panicking.