Coronavirus Made It Clear: Our Health System Needs More Compassion

‘A fairer, healthier system can emerge from this crisis,’ according to the dean at the Boston University School of Public Health

Members from the Lighthouse Fellowship Church gather on a Sunday night outside the Bloomington Hospital to pray for doctors, nursing staff, and other workers. Photo: Jeremy Hogan/Echoes Wire/Barcroft Media/Getty Images

As the Covid-19 pandemic unfolds, the world has taken dramatic steps to slow the spread of the disease. Physical distancing has kept large segments of the population indoors, closing schools and workplaces and effectively pausing the global economy. These disruptions have sparked a debate over how long they should remain in place. Already in the U.S., there have been calls to “reopen” the economy and return to the pre-Covid-19 status quo. President Donald Trump originally wanted the country “opened up and just raring to go by Easter.” Thankfully he’s changed his intentions and says distancing measures will remain until at least the end of April. Critics of moving too quickly back to normal functioning have cited the risk such a move may pose to public health. There have even been claims that callousness is behind the calls for resumed productivity, with the suggestion that some people would rather let others die than threaten the country’s bottom line.

This debate is about something more fundamental. It’s about what a return to normal will look…