Long read on the problems Coronavirus poses not least of which is the low mortality rate
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/02/covid-vaccine/607000/
I read that as well and it does have some interesting information.
It is more apt to say the *relatively* low severe case rate coupled with *relatively* high R0 and incubation period is the main reason for the virus being such a threat (and that’s not even taking in to account all of those metrics might actually be worse than reported).
That said, one of the bigger issues (which the article does touch on) is that a 20%+ severe case rate and high R0 and incubation period means that many, many people are likely to need treatment all at once without drastic measures to slow (but not stop) transmission, which in turn leads to stressing of healthcare systems, which in turn leads to higher transmission and mortality rate (as people are much more likely to die if they cannot get proper supportive care), which leads to more stressing of the healthcare systems, and so on. And that’s not even factoring the stress of individuals that don’t even have COVID-19 seeking assessment, as they have the flu or another coronavirus that simply causes a severe cold, which is very likely going to happen en masse given the timing of this outbreak coinciding with peak seasonal flu season in the northern hemisphere.
It becomes a deadly self-magnifying cycle that can potentially lead to system collapse which would see mortality rates skyrocket and social order faltering. And that process will happen much, much faster in underdeveloped countries, like Iran, Pakistan, India, etc.
This is what the current public responses are primarily attempting to avoid. We are not trying to stop the spread at this point, as that cannot be done. We are trying to slow it down so it can hopefully be managed with causing our healthcare systems to become completely dysfunctional.