And you address different demographics differently according to the seriousness of the virus in those demographics. If, for example, we told all people over the age of 70 to shelter in place, you would dramatically cut the number of serious and fatal cases (you would have to support that sheltering with home delivery of some essentials and in some cases have to figure out how to continue home care). That would expand hospital capacity as a secondary consequence.
Additionally, you have to get people of all ages to be serious about getting tested if symptomatic or in contact with a disease vector, and then self-isolating.
I am very worried about people I know who are waitresses, cooks, bartenders, hairdressers, retail clerks, and the like who are going to be out of work for what looks like at least 4-6 weeks. There may be a middle ground where we can slow the spread even more effectively while not shuttering so many businesses.
And, from what I can see, closing the schools is not doing anything in terms of isolating kids from each other. The college students I know who are home are meeting with their friends pretty much every night--eating together, watching movies, etc. And the grocery stores are full of parents with their children in tow. I don't know what to do about that, honestly, although closing all colleges and schools doesn't seem to be a great deterrent to kids mixing with each other, and also probably encourages more mixing of kids with vulnerable adults.
One more great idea I heard on the radio this morning--some grocery stores are opening early in the morning for seniors-only time from 6-8 or so, where the store has been cleaned overnight and vulnerable people can shop with some peace of mind. That might stop some of the vertical age-mixing, too.
