You are falling into a very well designed trap. 5000 deaths is a statistic, but if I can get you to talk about one name with one face, it is now a tragedy with impact. We must separate the statistical epidemiology from the case by case emotional heart strings. I see ARDS every day both prior to Sars2-CoVID19 and will likely see cases, both explained and unexplained after this outbreak.
When I have a death, it is a tragedy as I sit with the family, and try in some way to help them understand what has happened. So, it is the last bastion of the hand wringers to point out — at SOMEPOINT you will know someone this affects. This is true, but at some point you will also know someone influenza, cancer, heart disease, and numerous other diseases affects, and yet you do not seem to ring the alarm bell about those. Is this a double standard? Indifference? Or the power of knowledge of those diseases?
My BIL apparently has it. But whether it is personal or not, it is prudent to be aware, prepare, and act. Sticking with this head in the sand and ignoring or dismissing it, is a really poor choice of action. You leave the decisions to others, or you arrive too late to make competent helpful decisions yourself.