When coronavirus stay-at-home orders began, time at home seemed like a break from the frenzy of office life. With considerable curiosity, I soaked up the statistics, news articles, videos, and just about any information I could find. The new concepts of the day were presented: social distancing, flattening the curve, asymptomatic and reaching the peak. Stories of human suffering, sudden appearances, and family tragedy are a harrowing addition to the evening news.

Through all the focus on the pandemic, there are quiet but constant voices about the economy. However, these voices are not strong enough to counter the hysteria of the virus. What are we going to do? Is it realistic to simply shut down the economy for an unspecified period of time? Imagine not paying the mortgage.

Of course, warning signs will appear after 30 days, and there’s still plenty of time to get things back on track. At 60 days, the mortgage company’s demand letters and phone calls become non-stop. Credit is severely degraded and all parties involved know that without major change, the full impact of the foreclosure accident is just around the corner.

Since I live outside of Denver, visiting small rural towns is just a short drive away. I often shop at these places in an attempt to pass my expenses on to entrepreneurs, who can make a considerable profit. I often ask how things are going with the current situation. The first response I see is the fear in his eyes at the unknown. A gas station manager told me that his cash register often reads less than $100 in an entire day. Projecting 30 days ahead, imagine trying to run a business on $3,000 per month to pay rent, employees, vendors, and still make a living.

The federal government is making a valiant attempt to support business and individual bills through stimulus packages and unemployment compensation. With a combined federal debt level of $20 trillion, how much more debt can we absorb without severely damaging our economy for generations? Despite the best of intentions, millions of people and businesses will not be financially whole again for many years. A bankruptcy at the end of a career will postpone and permanently alter retirement.

There is another way to avoid the train wreck and get out of financial despair. First, insist on sheltering in place for seniors, anyone with an existing health condition, and residents of hard-hit areas like New York City, Detroit, and New Orleans. Then, starting with rural areas with modest numbers of cases, open up the economy with social distancing guidelines in place. As the virus continues to slow down, phase out remaining businesses with altered arrangements, such as fewer tables per location for restaurants and customer limits with other retail businesses. Telecommuting, masks, and large-scale testing can also be implemented.

There are millions of people, like me, who are willing to accept the risk of contracting the virus to protect our own livelihoods and contribute to the resurgence of the economy. If someone doesn’t feel comfortable, they can opt out now and re-enter later, as long as they understand the financial risks. The longer shelter-in-place orders remain, deaths from economic desperation will begin to significantly outpace deaths from the virus.

Public health experts have done an incredible job of outlining protocols for managing the pandemic through social distancing, which most Americans have followed. However, the limits of his experience are fast approaching. They are not economists, business managers, or those who live paycheck to paycheck. The time has come for ordinary, healthy people to speak out about their desire to return to work and normal life. Our future depends on it!