![]() ![]() At the same time, we need solutions that help seniors and people with chronic illnesses avoid the psychological consequences of extreme isolation. For example, recognizing how difficult it has become for grandparents to stay away their grandkids, we should provide technological assistance and support to connect families during this time of great social need.Īnd until there is a vaccine, we must allocate significantly more resources toward providing the 20% with sufficient food, access to medical care and safe housing. The 20-percenters who live at home should avoid contact with family members who are not regularly tested or proven to have antibodies. All facilities should, therefore, separate residents (all of which fall into the 20% group), test staff frequently and strictly limit visitation. population but account for approximately 25% of Covid-19 deaths. To understand the need for such a policy, look at nursing homes, which house less than 0.5% of the U.S. ![]() Therefore, reducing deaths requires us to segment the nation into two groups: Those in the high-risk 20% (seniors and people with two or more chronic conditions who must avoid contact with infected persons at all costs) and those in the lower-risk 80% (everyone else). Among children, the chances of dying are extremely low, less than 0.01%, while the mortality rate among the elderly can reach double digits. What matters is that death rates vary considerably by demographic. policies governing our health, economy and society in ways that better protect all of us from the virus.įor months, the media has obsessed over the national Covid-19 death rate, wondering: Is it as low as 0.66% or as high as 5%? It doesn’t matter. As a result, we’ve not only failed to corral the virus but also inflicted excessive economic and interpersonal pain on everyone.īy applying the 80/20 rule now, we can reshape U.S. Rather than shaping policies based on facts, we’ve applied a one-size-fits-all framework to the entire nation. If we know that the “vital few” are being disproportionately affected by the coronavirus, then why do shelter-in-place and social distancing orders apply to everyone, regardless of age or health status? Why are offices and small businesses reopening their doors to all workers and customers, rather than beginning with the 80% of people least likely to die?īy treating everyone the same, our nation’s policies are overly restrictive of people who are relatively safe while providing not nearly enough protection for the individuals at greatest risk. outbreak, found that 88% of of hospitalized coronavirus patients had at least two chronic health conditions. Similarly, a study in New York City, the epicenter of the U.S. Our nation’s current approach to the pandemic fails to acknowledge the fact that 80% of coronavirus deaths have occurred among the 20% of the population that is 65 years and older. ![]() Using The 80/20 Rule To Battle The CoronavirusĪpplying the Pareto principle to our nation’s coronavirus response offers a much safer and more effective set of solutions, maximizing the number of lives saved while ensuring the “cure” isn’t worse than the disease itself. Likewise, knowing that 80% of all healthcare costs are consumed by 20% of Americans allows insurance executives to pool resources and build health programs aimed at keeping their sickest enrollees out of the hospital. Though actual data may vary by industry and business unit, this helpful nugget of wisdom allows sales and marketing teams to target a small group of customers rather than diluting their investments by trying to reach everyone. Today, it is responsible for the well-known business adage that 20% of your customers produce 80% of your sales. Now known as the 80/20 rule or the Pareto principle, the theory has proven incredibly accurate and insightful across nearly every facet of human existence, helping organizations and institutions strategize for success the world over. Expanding on his “law of the vital few,” Pareto held that a multitude of different events and social structures follow this same principle. In the 19th century, Italian engineer and economist Wilfried Fritz Pareto observed that 20% of Italians held 80% of the country’s wealth. The question is: How best to a accomplish this goal? To save lives, we need a more focused strategy that blends the best of all three approaches, and removes the greatest threats from each. Though there is merit in each fear, and wisdom in each approach, our nation’s leaders have blinded themselves to a disconcerting reality: Maximizing success in one area will inflict even greater damage on the others.Ĭontinuing aggressive shelter-in-place orders, for example, will further aggravate mental health issues just as throwing open the doors to the economy will cause a resurgence of infection. ![]()
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