Much of the current conversation about returning to normalcy pretends that public health and the larger economy are unrelated. However, they’re actually closely associated with each other. For instance, although someone may argue that social distancing is necessary for community health, prolonged poverty isn’t good for it either.
It could be that we conquer the current virus but wind up with a less healthy populace. Think of it this way: Without jobs, people will make less money and pay less in taxes. Fewer tax dollars means less money for public safety, infrastructure, national defense and – you guessed it – public health.