The point of the national economic shutdown seems to have shifted in Cuomo’s mind. The purpose of mitigation, to use Dr. Fauci’s terminology, was to “flatten the curve” — meaning reduce the number of people seriously ill at any given time and have people’s illnesses spread over a longer period — to prevent medical resources from being overwhelmed as happened in Northern Italy. That goal may have been accomplished, which is why President Trump is encouraging a phased restart of the economy.

But it seems that Cuomo now believes the point of keeping everyone at home is for nobody to get sick. That’s impossible, particularly with a virus this communicable and one that is going to be with us for some time even if researchers successfully create a vaccine, which is no sure thing.

If Cuomo keeps New York’s economy shut down for too much longer, the cure could well become worse than the disease because of a sharp increase in the attendant social dislocations that the reporter mentioned.