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Though loathe to quote FDR, ‘the only thing we have to fear is fear itself’ sprung to mind upon reading your post this morning.
I keep saying that there’s prudence, which is wise, and then there’s panic, which is paralytic.
As with most every other national issue, the enemedia is gleefully fanning the flames of the latter, and for the moment it seems to be working with too large a segment of our population.
While they’re repugnant, seditious bastards and control the vast majority of the airwaves, our main hope is that the common sense of our more rational citizens will eventually prevail.
In the midst of this fustercluck, we’re very fortunate to have someone like Trump at the helm with perspective and mostly good judgement.
But it takes more than a sane leader to keep a ship of state afloat.
The many millions of Americans out here in flyover who keep this machine running day by day simply must not lose heart and give in to the fear mongering.
I believe we’ll do it because we’ve done it before and, away from the urban cesspools, the competent sailors on this ship don’t want it to sink.

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Your points are well presented, TK. What we're both trying to do here is maintain as balanaced perspective as is possible even during this "peak period" of infection. There is a cost to pay for what we as a frightened society are doing to our country. That's not to say it's an irrational fear or that the measures being mandated are helping to stop the spread of this virus; we would be foolish if we didn't do these things ... but only for a limited time.

Too many people, understandably so in light of the breathless reporting of each new high-profile infection and each new death attributed directly and, with a little investigation, even indirectly to the virus believe that to even be exposed, let alone contract, this new flu is a death sentence. Not only is this conclusion without basis, this belief is harmful in itself and it is dangerous to our society. What? You'll never go to a sporting event again? Your children will never be allowed to participate in group activities and sports in the future? It will be seen as an assault to hug or even shake hands with an old friend? I sure hope not but there are people so frightened by this virus who are saying these things ... publicly.

So there is a point to the slander "it's just the flu, bro." The corona virus/Co-Vid19/Chinese Flu is, in fact, the flu -- admittedly the flu on steriods as one wag put it or the flu with a press agent as I've come to say -- but it's no more an "existential threat" than the "climate change" fearmongers promote over cyclical global warming.

What I am encouraging here is that we must maintain a perspective, a longer-range vision of the potentially significant threats to our society and to our economy if we fail to consider factors other than the threat of the virus itself. Fortunately, our President maintains that perspective even through the ceaseless attacks he faces every hour of every day. God Bless President Trump. May the President's health be strong and his wisdom and guidance prevail in the coming days and weeks as the virus runs its course.