yes, california is in arbitrary lockdown, closing many businesses and amenities that basically don't contribute to spread, rather than tackling the much harder but much more effective challenge of restricting (large) private social gatherings (where social norms actively discourage preventative measures like distancing) that are driving the spread (outside of hospitals and care facilities). our state "leaders" don't want to take the political hit of actually doing the effective rather than the performative.
If we take that into account then California actually has more deaths per capita than Sweden, and people are still dying in California so it will only get worse. So I agree their strategy was not all that good.
yes, as a resident, i can't tell you how frustrated i am with the inanity of it all. so much talk and bluster, so much performance, so much (lower- and middle-class) socioeconomic damage, yet so little effectiveness.
