O/T: social risks during the COVID-19 pandemic

Two graduate students at the University of Toronto penned Why it's not OK to take small social risks during the COVID-19 pandemic: U of T experts. One of a range of articles on the pandemic posted on U of T News it was widely circulated.

It states plainly their opinion that taking a risk-reduction approach to social distancing for COVID-19 won’t work.

The reason? "every close contact with someone else – even if they are asymptomatic – risks transmitting the virus" and "loosening social distancing measures, despite how safe it might seem, can increase the number of people who will require admission to hospital or tragically die from this infection."

No risk is not an option. Get out of bed and increase your risk of falling. Stay in bed and suffer bed sores, loss of muscle mass, strength and bone mass.

Prudence, and authorities, recognize that even in these times we occasionally need to get groceries, with precautions, accept deliveries at home, pass each other on the street at 2m separation, and go to work if it's deemed essential. All of those constitute a prudent risk reduction approach, not zero risk, which according to the article won't work.

We'll see.